Running Winter Olympics 2006 thread

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There have been a couple of anticipatory threads, but now it's under way. Let the games begin -- with MUSCLEMEN AND ANVILS!

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41319000/jpg/_41319994_anvilman416gi.jpg

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 10 February 2006 21:12 (nineteen years ago)

I admit I like this one better:

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41320000/jpg/_41320050_anvil203.jpg

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 10 February 2006 21:13 (nineteen years ago)

I command you to BURN!

http://www.torino2006.org/bin/OlympicGames/photogallery/C_3_photogallery_72_photos_foto_4_imagebig.jpg

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 10 February 2006 21:21 (nineteen years ago)

Hmmm.

http://www.torino2006.org/bin/OlympicGames/photogallery/C_3_photogallery_72_photos_foto_8_imagebig.jpg

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 10 February 2006 21:21 (nineteen years ago)

what the fuck is that? some sorta flaming rollerball samus aran thing?

― kingfish has gene rayburn's mic (kingfish 2.0), Friday, 10 February 2006 21:24 (nineteen years ago)

Splashy enough:

http://www.torino2006.org/bin/OlympicGames/photogallery/C_3_photogallery_73_photos_foto_5_imagebig.jpg

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 10 February 2006 23:37 (nineteen years ago)

OMG Did anyone else see the Home Depot ad with Paralympian Monte Miller? He was the year ahead of me in high school!

― Dan (Two Famous People From Hastings) Perry (Dan Perry), Saturday, 11 February 2006 03:08 (nineteen years ago)

Italo Disco to soundtrack the olympics!

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Saturday, 11 February 2006 03:13 (nineteen years ago)

You know it's bad when even Bob Costas is trashing the soundtrack. Though I did appreciate them throwing "Video Killed The Radio Star" and "Just Can't Get Enough" in amongst the biggest disco hits of all time.

― zaxxon25 (zaxxon25), Saturday, 11 February 2006 03:27 (nineteen years ago)

"the immortal kim carnes"

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Saturday, 11 February 2006 03:28 (nineteen years ago)

Rockism hits the olympics!

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Saturday, 11 February 2006 03:30 (nineteen years ago)

I can't wait for the Vancouver opening ceremonies.

"And now one of this city's finest acts -- Skinny Puppy!"

*entire stadium covered in blood*

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 11 February 2006 03:30 (nineteen years ago)

Ra Ra Rasputin!

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Saturday, 11 February 2006 03:32 (nineteen years ago)

i went to high school with bode BAD BOY OF AMERICAN SKIING miller...my sister made out with him once in the back of a school bus.

eee the olympics!

― belllabs (bell_labs), Saturday, 11 February 2006 03:54 (nineteen years ago)

Was the wild acid house number the track Richie Hawtin contributed?

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Saturday, 11 February 2006 04:03 (nineteen years ago)

It was.

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Saturday, 11 February 2006 04:22 (nineteen years ago)

shit, i missed the opening.

the guys calling the downhill are boring. I'd be much happier with Keith Jackson & Bob Griese, or even J.R. & Jerry Lawler(or Paul E.)

― kingfish has gene rayburn's mic (kingfish 2.0), Saturday, 11 February 2006 04:29 (nineteen years ago)

god, like every skier/boarder they talk to is soooo fucking high

― kingfish has gene rayburn's mic (kingfish 2.0), Saturday, 11 February 2006 04:51 (nineteen years ago)

I thought the opening cermonis were scary/perplexing. I felt bad for that little girl that had to lipsync befor e billions of people. The close-ups of the dancers made them seem like they were drunken college students

― Mr Jones (Mr Jones), Saturday, 11 February 2006 05:06 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.gawker.com/news/20060210reutersolmpics.jpg

this photo looks good. gawker calls it a burning cock

― phil-two (phil-two), Saturday, 11 February 2006 05:13 (nineteen years ago)

ITALIANS!

http://yellow5.com/pokey/archive/index143.html

― Mr Jones (Mr Jones), Saturday, 11 February 2006 05:48 (nineteen years ago)

Did anybody tape the Plastikman stuff, or know where I could find it on the Internet?

― naus (Robert T), Saturday, 11 February 2006 06:36 (nineteen years ago)

alter the color of the cap, and Peter Gabriel would be rockin' the Steve Zissou vibe

― kingfish has gene rayburn's mic (kingfish 2.0), Saturday, 11 February 2006 07:36 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.outsports.com/olympics/2004/0811gayolympics.htm

― Eric H. (Eric H.), Saturday, 11 February 2006 07:44 (nineteen years ago)

Of course, Johnny Weir didn't compete in Athens.

― Eric H. (Eric H.), Saturday, 11 February 2006 07:45 (nineteen years ago)

The best thing about the Winter Olympics is watching commentators fail, plunged into talking about events of which they have no knowledge or understanding. The poor sod covering the Nordic Combined this morning has already been reduced to describing competitors as "dangerous in every sense of the word" and "Not to be underestimated in any shape or form".

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Saturday, 11 February 2006 10:54 (nineteen years ago)

I like when the ice skaters make a small error and the commentators go "ahhh- that was just awful - I can't believe she did that!"

― Mr Jones (Mr Jones), Saturday, 11 February 2006 10:55 (nineteen years ago)

remember that one pair of figure skaters when the dude was holding onto her hands and she tripped and fell boob-first onto the ice? ouch!

btw, bode miller = hotttttt. yeouch

― phil-two (phil-two), Saturday, 11 February 2006 11:18 (nineteen years ago)

dont seem too bright tho

― phil-two (phil-two), Saturday, 11 February 2006 11:21 (nineteen years ago)

New commentary high point: "Look at him, he's blowing in exasperation in every way possible."

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Saturday, 11 February 2006 11:31 (nineteen years ago)

I wish that merry man from Best in Show(the dog show commentator) could comment on some olympic events. Fred something is the actors' name.

― Mr Jones (Mr Jones), Saturday, 11 February 2006 11:35 (nineteen years ago)

WHO THE FUCK LET YOKO ONO ON STAGE?

Truth be told, the ceremony was mostly wank except for the old disco tracks and the Ferrari F1 doing burnouts. That's what Italia is all about. And Peter Gabriel wearing a beanie.

― ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!! (ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!!), Saturday, 11 February 2006 12:56 (nineteen years ago)

Two weeks of stories about skaters' sick relatives. Thank god for TIVO.

― Rotgutt (Rotgutt), Saturday, 11 February 2006 19:14 (nineteen years ago)

Shit, I don't have CNBC, so I can't watch any of the women's hockey games.

― kingfish has gene rayburn's mic (kingfish 2.0), Saturday, 11 February 2006 20:04 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, I was sort of surprised at how good some of the disco tracks they chose for walk on were. I mean, yeah, they obviously had crap like "Y.M.C.A." in there, but on the other hand they also played "Jingo" and "Spank."

Bode Miller's publicist/team of publicists = the most powerful person/people on earth. Or else the sporting world's really really desperate for a star on the order of Russell Crowe.

― Eric H. (Eric H.), Saturday, 11 February 2006 21:21 (nineteen years ago)

The WTF Moments of the 2006 Olympics roll on ... Zhang & Zhang of China skated their short program in the pairs competition to an orchestral version of Zeppelin's "Kashmir".

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Saturday, 11 February 2006 21:30 (nineteen years ago)

Canada beat Italy in womens hockey 16-0

― Anthony Easton, Saturday, 11 February 2006 21:48 (nineteen years ago)

hahahahahahaha

awesome. Is jennifer botterill on the team?

― kingfish has gene rayburn's mic (kingfish 2.0), Saturday, 11 February 2006 22:08 (nineteen years ago)

also, hearing michael jackson on the opening was kinda cool

― kingfish has gene rayburn's mic (kingfish 2.0), Saturday, 11 February 2006 22:09 (nineteen years ago)

Can anybody recognize any of the music from the NBC adverts? a lot of it seems like Coldplay/Sigur Ros kinda stuff, but the Target ad had "Shape of Things to Things to Come" IIRC

ick, nu-metal used during the ski jump video packages. MTV/WWF has so much to answer for.

― kingfish has gene rayburn's mic (kingfish 2.0), Saturday, 11 February 2006 22:11 (nineteen years ago)

OMG now NBC is doing the "and the Rock is WALKING!" backstage/WWF commercial bumper bits

― kingfish has gene rayburn's mic (kingfish 2.0), Saturday, 11 February 2006 22:16 (nineteen years ago)

They had "Just Can't Get Enough" during the opening!

16-0? Ouch. They need to stop home teams who don't know the sport playing in Olympic team events...

― ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!! (ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!!), Sunday, 12 February 2006 01:00 (nineteen years ago)

hey was the "just can't get enough" a remix? i swear i hear accordion.

― bell labs (bell_labs), Sunday, 12 February 2006 02:19 (nineteen years ago)

"heard" accordion

― bell~ labs (bell_labs), Sunday, 12 February 2006 02:20 (nineteen years ago)

yeah i don't think the ≤bode≥ phenomenon is publicist-engineered, he is simply very charismatic.

― bell´≈labs (bell_labs), Sunday, 12 February 2006 02:30 (nineteen years ago)

that was XXXpost i (courageously) admit to posting drunk after celebrating olypixxx

― belllabs (bell_labs), Sunday, 12 February 2006 02:33 (nineteen years ago)

aaaand kwan is out. press conference to follow at 5:30 eastern.

― kanye twitty (Jody Beth Rosen), Sunday, 12 February 2006 08:33 (nineteen years ago)

I can't really feel sorry for Kwan -- she had her chances to win gold and couldn't seal the deal (although she wuz robbed in 1998 by the robotic skating windup doll) only made the Olympic team on account of being Michelle Kwan. Not to mention that her diva attitude from the past two Olympics doesn't exactly elicit much sympathy.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Sunday, 12 February 2006 08:53 (nineteen years ago)

only made the Olympic team *this year*

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Sunday, 12 February 2006 08:53 (nineteen years ago)

i think she's just enjoying the attention this time around. it keeps her name out there, you know?

― kanye twitty (Jody Beth Rosen), Sunday, 12 February 2006 08:59 (nineteen years ago)

First "sport" I'm seeing? GOD DAMN FUCKING FIGURE SKATING

AAAARRRGGGGHHHH IT'S NOT A SPORT

GO AWAY

― ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!! (ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!!), Sunday, 12 February 2006 09:04 (nineteen years ago)

xpost

I figured she'd hog the attention all week long and wait until the last possible moment to withdraw. So I'll at least give her credit for not doing that.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Sunday, 12 February 2006 09:09 (nineteen years ago)

Anything good being broadcast on sunday?

― kingfish has gene rayburn's mic (kingfish 2.0), Sunday, 12 February 2006 09:12 (nineteen years ago)

:( michelle kwan

― phil-two (phil-two), Sunday, 12 February 2006 09:15 (nineteen years ago)

45 minutes of Figure Skating so far and it doesn't look like it's going to end.

IT'S NOT A SPORT! SHOW IT SOME OTHER TIME ON SOME OTHER SHOW, ALRIGHT? JUST DON'T CALL IT THE OLYMPICS AND TAKE IT AWAY FROM LUGE AND HOCKEY AND WHATNOT!

― ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!! (ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!!), Sunday, 12 February 2006 09:47 (nineteen years ago)

THANK FUCK THAT FIGURE SKATING SHIT IS OVER!

Yay, crazy Moguls!

― ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!! (ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!!), Sunday, 12 February 2006 09:58 (nineteen years ago)

Men's downhill on now. I'm rooting for Bode, I think.

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 12 February 2006 11:24 (nineteen years ago)

Speed skating needs to get away from the oval and onto a crazy circuit. Also, two at a time and they don't push each other out of the way? Pah! They need a mass start!

― ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!! (ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!!), Sunday, 12 February 2006 11:33 (nineteen years ago)

Also needing a mass start is Biathalon. And let them start shooting each other.

― ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!! (ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!!), Sunday, 12 February 2006 11:48 (nineteen years ago)

THE GERMANS ARE WEARING THAT ORANGE AND GREEN THING ON THE PODIUM

I HOPE THEY DONT WIN ANOTHER MEDAL THIS OLYMPICS AAARRRGGGHHH

― ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!! (ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!!), Sunday, 12 February 2006 11:57 (nineteen years ago)

They're doing 130km/h in the luge? 130km/h on that thing, with your arse a few centimeters from the ice?

Are they fucking INSANE?

(Oh, and they should jazz those boring helmets up a wee bit...)

― ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!! (ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!!), Sunday, 12 February 2006 12:09 (nineteen years ago)

I'm going to revise my opinion on Figure Skating.

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20060211/capt.olypa30102112035.winter_olympics_figure_skating_china_tr2_olypa301.jpg

― ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!! (ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!!), Sunday, 12 February 2006 12:24 (nineteen years ago)

I have to admit watching olymic events is very boring when there is not half-nakedness of athletes to enjoy.

― Mr Jones (Mr Jones), Sunday, 12 February 2006 12:28 (nineteen years ago)

Rah! I was rooting for the French downhillers.

When the Italian team walked into the arena at the opening ceremony, they were soundtracked by a song called L'Ombelico del Mondo (the bellybutton of the world).

― stet (stet), Sunday, 12 February 2006 12:31 (nineteen years ago)

Sorry, that was me. Stet takes no interest whatsoever in any kind of sport (he would want me to make that clear, were he awake).

― Mädchen (Madchen), Sunday, 12 February 2006 12:32 (nineteen years ago)

VENEZUELA CRASHES BUT STAYS ON THE LUGE! HE'S STILL IN THERE, FOLKS!

Which is better than the Japanese dude who crashed and fell off.

― ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!! (ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!!), Sunday, 12 February 2006 12:33 (nineteen years ago)

The night luge run was done in -12C conditions. I hope those bodysuits are warmer than they look.

― ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!! (ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!!), Sunday, 12 February 2006 12:35 (nineteen years ago)

The Venezuelan Luger is FIFTY-TWO YEARS OLD!

And didn't crash on the night run.

― ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!! (ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!!), Sunday, 12 February 2006 13:02 (nineteen years ago)

They should try to put some jetpacks on them ski-jumpers.

― ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!! (ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!!), Sunday, 12 February 2006 13:07 (nineteen years ago)

OH JESUS CHRIST! The Italian ski-jumper is wearing a PINK skinsuit!

― ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!! (ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!!), Sunday, 12 February 2006 13:12 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah! Ice Hockey!

Oh dear, it's that Canada vs Italy game.

― ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!! (ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!!), Sunday, 12 February 2006 13:48 (nineteen years ago)

I just saw that the person replacing Kwan in the team is the younger sister of Sarah Hughes from 2002 -- HISTORY REPEATS. Perhaps.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 12 February 2006 16:35 (nineteen years ago)

I have no problem at all with Bode Miller not winning any medal in the downhill.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 12 February 2006 16:41 (nineteen years ago)

CBC is playing the Canada-Russia women's hockey game - MORE PAIN. It's 9-0 going into the third. C'mon, Other Countries, put your back into it!

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Sunday, 12 February 2006 17:01 (nineteen years ago)

glad to see kwan packing up and heading home -- she her injury required more time to heal and knew it, but bugged the usfsa to grant her a bye regardless. what a waste. im looking forward to emily hughes, who was a joy to watch at nationals. slutskaya's a great skater but her performances will have to be out of this world to keep the three american skaters at bay. and i pray that sasha cohen does not wear that fugly white dress zulema made for her on project runway.

my take on the pairs short program last night: i dont know if its their vangelis-inspired program music, of the butchy skating costumes [never before have i seen so many women compete in unitards!] or their wonderful technique but savchenko/szolkowy are quickly becoming one of my faves.

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Sunday, 12 February 2006 17:16 (nineteen years ago)

fyi, here's a schedule of what's happening today:

http://www.nytimes.com/ref/sports/olympics/2006oly-schedule.html

the nbc site is confusing.

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Sunday, 12 February 2006 17:27 (nineteen years ago)

dammit, i don't have cable and NBC's showing fucking NASCAR right now

― kingfish has gene rayburn's mic (kingfish 2.0), Sunday, 12 February 2006 19:18 (nineteen years ago)

wow, i was typing so fast up there that i didnt pay attention to thngs like sentence structure, spelling and grammar. sorry folks! hopefully you can understand my figure skating 1337 speak.

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Sunday, 12 February 2006 19:34 (nineteen years ago)

dear olympics, pls ff to USA v. CAN hockye finalss for both genderz k thx.

― Jimmy Mod (I myself am lethal at 100 -110dB) (The Famous Jimmy Mod), Sunday, 12 February 2006 20:19 (nineteen years ago)

I watched a little bit of olympics yesterday and was unexpectedly sucked in by the women's freestyle downhill skiing dingus.

― Jordan (Jordan), Sunday, 12 February 2006 20:43 (nineteen years ago)

the crowds at the finish of the women's cross-country race were blasted with "Do-Wah-Diddy" over the PA

― kingfish has gene rayburn's mic (kingfish 2.0), Sunday, 12 February 2006 22:33 (nineteen years ago)

Mass starts on the XC Pursuits is genius, I dint know they did that now.

Switching disciplines halfway through seems to be sort of a waste. No classic specialist is gonna make a break early, are they? I would think everybody would just "sit in" for that portion, with no real advantage to anyone. I mean, look at how that Frodo guy got back in after being left a minute back. They might as well just either skate or classic the whole thing.

It's kinda like being a an Oly distance triathlete who's strong on the bike--the best runners will just sit on you and save their energy and then torch your ass in the final running leg.

― Hunter (Hunter), Monday, 13 February 2006 00:44 (nineteen years ago)

I agree, the format of the Nordic combined made for a much more interesting race yesterday.

― Rotgutt (Rotgutt), Monday, 13 February 2006 01:18 (nineteen years ago)

I dunno, I think they should start the Nordic Combined with the XC first, make them ski their way up the hill, and then do the jump!

― ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!! (ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!!), Monday, 13 February 2006 01:21 (nineteen years ago)

I love how the commentators says stuff like "he blew the competition away!" when the person in second place was a tenth of a second behind.

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Monday, 13 February 2006 01:47 (nineteen years ago)

Anton Yoko Ono has failed totally! Again his olymic ass is tainted!

― Mr Jones (Mr Jones), Monday, 13 February 2006 03:28 (nineteen years ago)

Not nearly enough crashes in the Downhill! I saw a good one but nothing compared to Meier at Nagano, mind you.

― ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!! (ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!!), Monday, 13 February 2006 11:09 (nineteen years ago)

Bode Miller lost. What a chump.

― gary, Monday, 13 February 2006 11:26 (nineteen years ago)

The BBC commentator on the half-pipe was fecking terrible. If he'd said "ladies and gentlemen" one more time I might have thrown something at the screen. Also, you cannot say somebody had a "totally clean run", then go through a list of things they should have done better. He even said one of the fallers had a clean run, ffs.

That Flying Tomato chap was a joy to watch, however. Shame he didn't have much competition. Oh, and the guy who landed on his arse on the flat bit at the the top of the 'vert' was hilarious.

― Mädchen (Madchen), Monday, 13 February 2006 11:44 (nineteen years ago)

HALF-PIPE MORE LEIK SMOKING A PIPE (OF WEED) LOL SNOWBOARDARS

― ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!! (ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!!), Monday, 13 February 2006 11:47 (nineteen years ago)

That was the last Winter Olympics. There's no dope amnesty this time around.

― Mädchen (Madchen), Monday, 13 February 2006 11:52 (nineteen years ago)

From what I gather, the snowboarders are seriously put out by the lack of amnesty! It's as if, en masse, they've said "whoa, Dude -- you BEGGED us to come here KNOWING what we do...and what we do is CHILLUMS."

I like Flying Tomato Brother.

― suzy (suzy), Monday, 13 February 2006 12:14 (nineteen years ago)

He doesn't like to be called the Flying Tomato! He wants to be called BLUEY!

Hey, they got Kelly Clarkson to sing after his medal ceremony.

― ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!! (ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!!), Monday, 13 February 2006 12:21 (nineteen years ago)

Despite just having Kelly, the Aussie telly is being ROCKIST by playing BLOODY OASIS going out to the commercials.

― ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!! (ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!!), Monday, 13 February 2006 12:25 (nineteen years ago)

xpost - Yeah, as if anyone would LIKE to be called Flying Tomato.

Esteban, you should hear what's playing in the stadia/arenas constantly, as if TURIN NOW EUROPE'S LARGEST GAY DISCO.

― suzy (suzy), Monday, 13 February 2006 12:31 (nineteen years ago)

European Gay Discos don't have men in skintight body suits!

― ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!! (ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!!), Monday, 13 February 2006 12:33 (nineteen years ago)

I'm liking the amount of night events. They're ace and they need even more. Like Night XC Skiing. That would be fun. Either bumping around in the dark and wearing headlamps on their heads.

― ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!! (ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!!), Monday, 13 February 2006 13:52 (nineteen years ago)

I'd forgotten how much I enjoy watching the athletes half-heartedly open and close their mouths as they try to remember the words to the national anthem.

― Nemo (JND), Monday, 13 February 2006 14:01 (nineteen years ago)

European Gay Discos don't have men in skintight body suits.

Really? Here's one.

http://www.eurodreamer.com/605w_menscatsuit.jpg

― suzy (suzy), Monday, 13 February 2006 14:18 (nineteen years ago)

Short track speed skating is hypnotic, especially the relays.

― Tripmaker (SDWitzm), Monday, 13 February 2006 18:22 (nineteen years ago)

Chinese pairs figure skaters are superhuman.

One guy ruptures his achilles tendon six months ago and starts jumping only a month ago. His team wins bronze.

The team that won silver had the worst wipeout I've ever seen (on a quad throw, this was some serious cringe-worthy stuff), had to skate off the ice to regroup, chose to continue, and won a medal.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Monday, 13 February 2006 21:59 (nineteen years ago)

How does ice quality vary on a curling rink? ~~Colin Hendry~~ Rhona Martin was complaining today that the ice wasn't of championship quality.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Tuesday, 14 February 2006 00:29 (nineteen years ago)

The Winter Olympics has arrived just in time to remnd me that I'm in love with Chemmy Alcott. I know she won't win a dman thing, but she'll try, pluckily. Sigh.

― Matt (Matt), Tuesday, 14 February 2006 00:39 (nineteen years ago)

the greek winter olympic team is hottttttt

― kingfish has gene rayburn's mic (kingfish 2.0), Tuesday, 14 February 2006 01:05 (nineteen years ago)

with seven t's? goodness me

― Matt (Matt), Tuesday, 14 February 2006 01:12 (nineteen years ago)

Flying Tomato's victory lap was the best run in the whole halfpipe event. Those carves!

― Collardio Gelatinous (collardio), Tuesday, 14 February 2006 02:17 (nineteen years ago)

i think bode will win the combined. and i want to punch shaun white's haircut.

― bell labs (bell_labs), Tuesday, 14 February 2006 03:53 (nineteen years ago)

shit, i missed the men's snowboard. i hope they had the announcer going, "Awwww yeah, you're trickin' GOOD" after big moves & shit.

― kingfish has gene rayburn's mic (kingfish 2.0), Tuesday, 14 February 2006 05:14 (nineteen years ago)

there was a lot of "HE'S GOING BIG!!" and "a little sketchy there" comments, o kingfish man.

― Collardio Gelatinous (collardio), Tuesday, 14 February 2006 05:17 (nineteen years ago)

The real gnarly stuff today was in the pairs skating, though.

― Collardio Gelatinous (collardio), Tuesday, 14 February 2006 05:19 (nineteen years ago)

Seriously, I thought people were going to die out there, what with the aura of disaster that hung over the proceedings.

― Collardio Gelatinous (collardio), Tuesday, 14 February 2006 05:22 (nineteen years ago)

snowboarding isn't truly great w/o sampled Run DMC in the background

― kingfish has gene rayburn's mic (kingfish 2.0), Tuesday, 14 February 2006 06:06 (nineteen years ago)

american snowboarding chicks rule.

― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Tuesday, 14 February 2006 06:13 (nineteen years ago)

there was a lot of "HE'S GOING BIG!!" and "a little sketchy there" comments, o kingfish man

This is a general problem with Olympic coverage -- they have to explain the events to people who would never watch them otherwise, so the commentary takes on an absurdly basic, ultra-repetitive tone. After watching a few hours of most events I almost feel qualified to get in the broadcast booth myself.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 14 February 2006 06:20 (nineteen years ago)

yeah, i'd had no idea about any of the tricks were it not for the SSX games

― kingfish has gene rayburn's mic (kingfish 2.0), Tuesday, 14 February 2006 06:29 (nineteen years ago)

whoa, joey cheek. the american speedskater is ridiculously cute

― phil-two (phil-two), Tuesday, 14 February 2006 06:40 (nineteen years ago)

god, the one couple skated to the overture to Phantom of the Opera. I thought the opening was "Mr. Crowley," and pairs skating suddenly excited me.

― kingfish has gene rayburn's mic (kingfish 2.0), Tuesday, 14 February 2006 06:55 (nineteen years ago)

Their whole routine was skated to music from "Phantom" ... the second half was "Music of the Night" (such a corny choice).

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 14 February 2006 06:59 (nineteen years ago)

ICE DANCING IS NOT A FUCKING SPORT

DON'T SHOW ICE DANCING WHEN YOU ADVERTISE WINTER OLYMPIC SPORTS NOT THIS SHIT

AAAARRRGGGHHHH

― ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!! (ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!!), Tuesday, 14 February 2006 10:05 (nineteen years ago)

those gigantic-ass masks the snowboarders have to wear make them all look like noseless freaks who came off of an assembly line....and don't get me started on the suits they have to wear!

― Raymond Cummings (Raymond Cummings), Tuesday, 14 February 2006 12:49 (nineteen years ago)

The speed skating 500m on the big oval is awesome! HE'S FALLING DOWN BUT HE'S DIVING ACROSS THE LINE!

― ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!! (ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!!), Tuesday, 14 February 2006 13:15 (nineteen years ago)

Raymond: they need those austronaut suits for the thin oxygen encountered at the stratospheric apex of their aerials, man.

― Collardio Gelatinous (collardio), Tuesday, 14 February 2006 14:26 (nineteen years ago)

According to the "Today" show, Joey Cheek listens to Johnny Cash before every race and makes potato guns in his spare time.

Can we please have Joey Cheek be the face of Team USA from now on instead of the truculent Bode Miller?

Thank you.

― Nemo (JND), Tuesday, 14 February 2006 14:28 (nineteen years ago)

Question: do the speed skaters ever go clockwise?

And if not, why don't their bodies become asymmetrical over time?

― Collardio Gelatinous (collardio), Tuesday, 14 February 2006 14:28 (nineteen years ago)

I've wondered about that, too. Seems like they should use a figure-8 track.

― Nemo (JND), Tuesday, 14 February 2006 14:53 (nineteen years ago)

Miller disqualifies from the combined and Ted Ligety wins instead. Poor Bode. I weep. No, really.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 14 February 2006 20:05 (nineteen years ago)

Oh yeah, and Joey Cheek rules.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 14 February 2006 20:07 (nineteen years ago)

I can only take Johnny Weir's "people in the Republican South should be scared of me" puff piece so seriously until he actually shows the balls to add "because I'm gay." Still, I'm surprised how much wink-wink-nudge-nudge they inserted into that story.

― Eric H. (Eric H.), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 02:33 (nineteen years ago)

Their whole routine was skated to music from "Phantom" ... the second half was "Music of the Night" (such a corny choice).
-- NoTimeBeforeTime (mbvarkestra197...), Today. (Barry Bruner) (link)

...and this is what i study. supposedly kwan was going to skate to some techno for her short program and i got really excited about that.

btw, as a former competitive skater, ice dancing IS a sport, mr. buttez~!!!. i bet you cant even stand up on the ice, let alone attempt a waltz jump.

toller cranston + john curry + coke(appletinis) = johnny weir? i think so.

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 03:53 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.n24.de/php-bin/data/cgalerie/content/n24_boulevard_de_050204_opernball/11.jpg

this is the austrian popstar who won bronze in men's combined. has anyone heard his music? YSI?

― bell labs (bell_labs), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 04:00 (nineteen years ago)

Best hur hur hur medallist's name so far: Silver medallist in the women's 500 m skating event = MANLI WANG

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 12:40 (nineteen years ago)

I love watching the speed skating. The ice skating makes me tense with worry at each jump in case they fall, and poor Buttle from Canada's apology to the camera and sad face after his turn last night was kind of upsetting!

I've been home during the daytime watching the events mostly on Eurosport, which is interrupted every once in a while by some fluff feature called "Daring Girls." It seems to consist solely of 2 lovely ladies dressed in red and yellow wandering around and posing with people and getting them to sign their chests, and comes complete with cheesy "GIRLS GIRLS! DARING GIRLS!" theme and bad computer animation.

― sgs (sgs), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 13:56 (nineteen years ago)

The only thing that could make speed-skating better is if they wore those comet-shaped helmets bicyclists wear in the velodrome.

― Nemo (JND), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 14:09 (nineteen years ago)

They should! I suppose they don't because of added weight? I love the whole crouching kung-fu-esque pose before the start.

― sgs (sgs), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 14:18 (nineteen years ago)

and if there was fire coming out of those helmets! (the opening ceremonies are such false advertising.)

sarah, "Daring Girls" cannot exist, omg.

In shocking news, the Cdn men just beat Italy in hockey.

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 14:21 (nineteen years ago)

I also love the way speed-skaters put their arms behind their backs on the straightaways. It makes it seem like they're having a relaxing skate around the rink until the camera pans back and you can see how quickly they're moving. I guess they've figured out that you get more from the aerodynamics of putting your arms back than you would get power from moving them.

But obviously they would get more power and aerodynamic advantage with FLAMING COMET HELMETS.

― Nemo (JND), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 14:39 (nineteen years ago)

Proven by science! gotta be.

I love it when the commentators get excited - a woman talking over skiing (freestyle mogals w/ jumps) right now actually squealed and giggled about a guy's stellar jump. (haha, but I might too - it's kind of an insane sport!)

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 14:50 (nineteen years ago)

Not to perpetuate an old stereotype but:
Women's team pursuit speedskating prelims - Dutch up against the Germans! (brutal.) The Dutch team looked like three people generally skating in unison. The German teams looked like ONE MACHINE.
(of course, the Germans won. by a lot.)

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 17:43 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.connollyco.com/discography/kraftwerk/man_hi.jpg

― Nemo (JND), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 18:13 (nineteen years ago)

Har! Is that the relay event, or something separate? I'm so amazed that they shove each other rather than, say, pass a baton.

― sgs (sgs), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 18:21 (nineteen years ago)

I saw the Weir puff piece thru my current Time Warner-fucked pixillation and thought it/he was cute, but DAMN, you know he'd be hell to deal with off-camera. In any context.

My strongest/first Winter Olympics crush will remain Eric H(eiden), 1980, with those redwood thighs. (Plus, speedskating is, y'know, a sport.) Eric Canses, sirrah, I have some further Aesthetics of Twink issues to get to latah...

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 18:22 (nineteen years ago)

no object of possession, therefore not a sport

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 18:26 (nineteen years ago)

Is it just me, or does Sasha Cohen seem like a really snotty, horrible little diva of a bitch?

― Pork Cheops (willpie), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 18:39 (nineteen years ago)

So Trace, all track events not a sport? Pish tosh.

http://www.hickoksports.com/images/heiden_eric.jpg

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 18:41 (nineteen years ago)

Is it just me, or does Sasha Cohen seem like a really snotty, horrible little diva of a bitch?

HAWTT

― Dan (Predictable) Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 18:43 (nineteen years ago)

exactly, morbius

xpost

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 18:44 (nineteen years ago)

Oh, Dan, i meant in a hot way.

― willpie (willpie), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 18:48 (nineteen years ago)

Sport = objective measurement of success (ie, fastest time, longest distance, most goals, etc). Introducing a subjective component takes it out of the arena of "sport" for me and makes it an "athletic activity".

Gymnastics and figure skating are hella-strenuous and amazing and fun to watch, but they have subjective standards of success, ergo I don't consider them to be "sports".

― Dan (Go Curling!) Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 18:53 (nineteen years ago)

Is it just me, or does Sasha Cohen seem like a really snotty, horrible little diva of a bitch?

That's why she's great! Sasha and Johnny should have some sort of skate-off to see who is the biggest diva. It would put Derek and Hansel to shame.

― My Psychic Friends Are Strangely Silent (Ex Leon), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 18:58 (nineteen years ago)

Ah, re Sasha Cohen I was just about to ask if Ali G was doing work for NBC...

Dan OTM. Honestly.

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 19:05 (nineteen years ago)

why anyone would give a shit about what constitutes a 'sport' or not is beyond me

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 19:11 (nineteen years ago)

That's why she's great! Sasha and Johnny should have some sort of skate-off to see who is the biggest diva. It would put Derek and Hansel to shame.

HAHAHAH, yes.

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 19:12 (nineteen years ago)

Haikunym OTM. I am not interested in sports one fraction as much as I am interested in choreography.

I have some further Aesthetics of Twink issues to get to latah...

If this is going to involve taking me to task for idealizing the immediately-post-pubescent body before fat starts to deposit and hair starts to grow in all the elsewhere and that having any interest in twinks is something one inevitably grows out of... it's not like I don't know all that already. That said, most twinks only wish they had Brian Joubert's physique.

― Eric H. (Eric H.), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 19:30 (nineteen years ago)

His James Bond routine was roffletastic.

― My Psychic Friends Are Strangely Silent (Ex Leon), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 19:55 (nineteen years ago)

Eric, no... nothing quite so righteous. But the only reason I'm likely to look at the Winter Games at all is the number of Hot Stoner Types (plus the speedskating unis).

The Olympic creed surely leads with SPORT, yes? The choreographed events should give Tonys.

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 19:59 (nineteen years ago)

Essentially, I agree that any sport in which judges scoring is a key factor in medal placement has... er, difficult credentials as an Olympic sport. (Whoops, I guess that includes snowboarding.) But I dare you to tell dancers they're not athletes.

― Eric H. (Eric H.), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 20:03 (nineteen years ago)

No one's suggesting that.

The dictionary definitions all say that figure skating and gymnastics would be a sport. Some people disagree. My point, WHO GIVES A SHIT, is still unchallenged.

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 20:10 (nineteen years ago)

They're indisputably athletic. And yes, I give less of a shit than it seems. Get here, World Baseball Classic...

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 20:14 (nineteen years ago)

My point, WHO GIVES A SHIT, is still unchallenged.

That's becaues it's too true.

― Eric H. (Eric H.), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 20:26 (nineteen years ago)

On PTI yesterday, Wilbon used the Chinese pairs figure skating wipeout as Exhibit 3819028 in "why figure skating isn't a real sport". Because stopping for an injury timeout and returning to the field of play makes the entire competition a joke, DO YOU SEE??

TEN MINUTES LATER, they showed that American skier's wipeout during training and said that if she came back from that and won the downhill, it would be the greatest Olympic story EVAAAAHHHHHHH.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 20:36 (nineteen years ago)

I really don't get curling. Is this a leftover sport from the Olympics halcyon days? The Games' appendix, if you will?

― Eric H. (Eric H.), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 20:42 (nineteen years ago)

It's there to give the Brits a chance of winning something.

― Mädchen (Madchen), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 20:42 (nineteen years ago)

Curling was introduced in 1988.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 20:45 (nineteen years ago)

"So much for Eddie the Eagle...Ah! Brooms!"

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 20:46 (nineteen years ago)

So no, curling isn't the fencing of the Winter Olympics.

xpost

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 20:46 (nineteen years ago)

Question to Canadians (and Americans with CBC feeds): please explain the hockey-related Tim Hortons commercial with the Chinese-Canadians. It's supposed to be a heartwarming apple pie family story, but every time I see it I want to kick the grandfather in the nuts. Convince me I'm wrong.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 20:58 (nineteen years ago)

I want to kick the grandfather in the nuts, but I've never seen the commercial.

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 21:18 (nineteen years ago)

I appreciate your solidarity with my cause.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 21:29 (nineteen years ago)

olympics-hatas are so lame!

― ryan (ryan), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 21:31 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.nbcolympics.com/freestyle/5109474/detail.html

Dale, i used to be on hte same team as him and his brother. his brother was nice but dale...ppl hated that kid even when he was like 12. just something sinister abt him. oh and his parents sewed 'Air Dale' onto the back of his jacket...haha. not surprised about the whole 'Spam Man' thing.

but anyway go Jenn Heil! 100% prairie bitch goodness, she deserves it...yall have no idea how kind sweet and gifted she is.

― LeCoq (LeCoq), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 21:31 (nineteen years ago)

The CBC interviewed him after his win and barely bothered to congratulate him. Instead, they grilled him on why he wasn't competing for Canada. He seems like a real jackass so I thought the whole thing was kinda awesome.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 21:53 (nineteen years ago)

That Hortons commercial is weird and I have yet to make sense of it.
(Nemo, I stole yr Kraftwerk image joke for my blog! Too good to not repeat.)

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 22:24 (nineteen years ago)

these lisping commentators are making the games more entertaining

― kingfish has gene rayburn's mic (kingfish 2.0), Thursday, 16 February 2006 07:01 (nineteen years ago)

Oh dear. Snowboard-cross is an olympic event. Tedious as all hell to watch, unless someone falls over. Then it gets fun.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Thursday, 16 February 2006 08:21 (nineteen years ago)

Its too bad they are not showing curling, it s kind of cool. Its like ice bocce without the fatsos. I have to admit I am enjoying great schadenfrude watching the overly-hyper american athletes fail.

― Mr Jones (Mr Jones), Thursday, 16 February 2006 08:42 (nineteen years ago)

I've been getting into curling over the past few days. The matches start bright and early in Torinto and it's great to be able to watch live sports at 3AM Eastern time.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Thursday, 16 February 2006 08:58 (nineteen years ago)

OK, so the snowboard-cross commentator is actually quite entertaining.

"I tell you what... there's some pretty pathetic horns out there today."

(On fashion) "In snowboarding terms, Unterrainer needs to put some jam on his boots and invite his trousers down for tea."

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Thursday, 16 February 2006 09:53 (nineteen years ago)

There is a section on the course named "The Ibrahimovic Triple" because the course designer is a Juventus fan.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Thursday, 16 February 2006 09:55 (nineteen years ago)

"The Spanish, screaming and waving their bodegas."

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Thursday, 16 February 2006 10:00 (nineteen years ago)

haha those quotes are great!

― sgs (sgs), Thursday, 16 February 2006 11:13 (nineteen years ago)

surely this thread should be anything but running!

the sledging winter olympics 2006 thread

― ken c (ken c), Thursday, 16 February 2006 11:14 (nineteen years ago)

Its funny when the figure skaters get so dramatic and pissed off at moves - "Oh my God! What does she think she's doing! She totally blew that double axel! What an embarrasment! She should be shot with a cop-killing bullet!"

― Mr Jones (Mr Jones), Thursday, 16 February 2006 11:23 (nineteen years ago)

Why isn't skateboarding a summer Olympic sport? They could hold on the South Bank in 2012.

― Hello Sunshine (Hello Sunshine), Thursday, 16 February 2006 12:48 (nineteen years ago)

I have to admit I am enjoying great schadenfrude watching the overly-hyper american athletes fail.

I am, too, though I try to support the home team as much as I can. I find it very difficult to root for "bad boy" Bode Miller (is "bad boy" just another way of saying "jerk"?) or somebody wearing a bandanna and goatee like Apolo Ohno.

(Nemo, I stole yr Kraftwerk image joke for my blog! Too good to not repeat.)

All credit goes to Ralf, Florian and ... the other two guys in Kraftwerk. What is the URL for your blog?

― Nemo (JND), Thursday, 16 February 2006 13:02 (nineteen years ago)

you arent judged for practice, so in competition you should be able to nail the jump. and then you single a jump that was supposed to be a double or a triple. i cant begin to tell you how many times its happened to me -- you think you're in complete control of your body and you're really not....

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Thursday, 16 February 2006 14:03 (nineteen years ago)

Yes! That's what I love about sports - it shows you pretty clearly (physically) how you "work" as a person, who is not a robot (mentally, or rather, that we are always a combination of the two - oh, how I dislike dualism). You can practice practice practice but that's still no guarantee for success. However, you CAN get better and better. Human drama!

(blog url - it's a community blog - is www.midnightpoutine.ca. My articles, for the most part, are silly.)

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Thursday, 16 February 2006 14:16 (nineteen years ago)

Suck my hairy Australian balls, Canada! We got MOGULS GOOOOLD! YOU GOT MOOSE AND HOCKEY AND WHATEVER.

― ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!! (ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!!), Thursday, 16 February 2006 14:17 (nineteen years ago)

Also, I saw Wayne Gretzky making a deal to put pop-ups on websites.

― ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!! (ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!!), Thursday, 16 February 2006 14:18 (nineteen years ago)

I saw the Tim Hortons commercial a few minutes ago and welled up. I think though that I was just overcome by how brutal the Nordic Combined event is. Over 45 minutes of really fast cross-country skiing - every competitor just collapsed within a couple metres of crossing the finish line. Pain. And more pain b/c the difference btwn gold and silver was something like 14 seconds! But hey, it's not about winning, blah blah etc. Still though.

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Thursday, 16 February 2006 15:07 (nineteen years ago)

Curling = Winter Olympic chance for the over-40's (or even over-50's, etc), cf shooting in the Summer games.

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Thursday, 16 February 2006 16:51 (nineteen years ago)

snowboard cross was brilliant. than it went to curling. i don't understand this country, sometimes.

― Gukbe (lokar), Thursday, 16 February 2006 18:31 (nineteen years ago)

I have watched none of these games. Each time I experimentally turned to them I have seen slo-mo replays of people in goggles and helmets doing midair flips, while the commentators wittering on about "the judges" and how impressed they would certainly be by the amount of "air" the competitor had acquired. Then, after a breathless wait to see what numbers "the judges" had assigned, I turned the games off - fast enough to make your head spin.

― Aimless (Aimless), Thursday, 16 February 2006 18:43 (nineteen years ago)

Skeleton Bob Rules! And we have a medal.

― Mädchen (Madchen), Friday, 17 February 2006 10:08 (nineteen years ago)

Snowboard Cross was awesome, the commentator even more so! "I don't know how he's going so fast - unless he has some kind of pump squeezing washing up liquid onto the base of his board. THAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED ONCE! In a dry-slope slalom. It works on dry slopes."

― ledge (ledge), Friday, 17 February 2006 11:07 (nineteen years ago)

Then later on he said something like "You can't tell who's going to end up in the medals as it's mostly down to luck out there." Way to represent the sport!

― ledge (ledge), Friday, 17 February 2006 11:19 (nineteen years ago)

I hear snowboard cross was introduced to the Olympics because the IOC are desperate to include more sports that don't involve objective judging.

― Hello Sunshine (Hello Sunshine), Friday, 17 February 2006 12:22 (nineteen years ago)

Did you see all the clumsy jerk figure skaters? What are they thinking? they were total disgrace-asses

― Mr Jones (Mr Jones), Friday, 17 February 2006 12:43 (nineteen years ago)

The Belgian figure skater's "Pirates of the Caribbean" costume was so over-the-top I think I actually couldn't believe what I was seeing at first.

He really should have gone all the way and worn an eyepatch.

― Nemo (JND), Friday, 17 February 2006 14:02 (nineteen years ago)

Women's Snowboard Cross - even better?

Damn American had a massive lead, then had to showboat on the next to last jump, falling as a result. Then the swiss chick came up and took gold. as that brilliant commentator said, "That will be on blooper reels for YEARS to come."

― Gukbe (lokar), Friday, 17 February 2006 14:19 (nineteen years ago)

oh, that was brutal.

omg, as the days go by, I become more serious about the Olympics. crazy.

I still can't believe Canada's women's pursuit speedskating team lost the gold to Italy. I decided though that speed skating is the most entertaining winter sport: it's fast, it's cool looking, and there's a major chance of wipe-out. The Dutch men's team fell hard yesterday while on their way to beating Italy - 2 6' men down on their sides and sliding ass-first into the boards - pain on so many levels. And hence Italy vs Canada in the final.

Emanuel Sandhu flopping in his long program was to be expected. Yet it's still quite sad b/c he's obviously extremely talented, could easily have won gold if he was mentally together. But hell, that's a huge challenge. But it was great to see Buttle get Bronze - he was so happy, hurrah.

Figure skaters' outfits are a big part of why I find it hard to watch figure skating...

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Friday, 17 February 2006 14:27 (nineteen years ago)

I mean MEN's pursuit. Women lost gold to Germany! Which makes sense.

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Friday, 17 February 2006 14:29 (nineteen years ago)

The ladies I was watching the figure skating with yesterday were mesmerized by Sandhu's butt. I think I heard, "Christ, look at his ass" about 42 times during his routine. As if it were even possible to look at anything else.

― Pork Cheops (willpie), Friday, 17 February 2006 17:34 (nineteen years ago)

I can't believe I didn't realize this before: this thread is ASSLESS! How did that happen?
http://www.emanuel-sandhu.net/05cupofchina_lp01.jpg

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Friday, 17 February 2006 18:15 (nineteen years ago)

gah! return of the color schemes from 1996!

― kingfish has gene rayburn's mic (kingfish 2.0), Friday, 17 February 2006 18:21 (nineteen years ago)

Figure-skating fashion seems to evolve in its own isolated world, without any influence from the larger world.

It's like the Galapagos Islands of costume.

― Nemo (JND), Friday, 17 February 2006 18:55 (nineteen years ago)

Dr Ice made a mess of it. Ergo, no medals for Britain in men's skeleton.

― Cracks (Crackity), Friday, 17 February 2006 19:12 (nineteen years ago)

I only saw Weir's costume, and thought it was lucky he didn't wander in front of Cheney's gunsight.

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Friday, 17 February 2006 19:15 (nineteen years ago)

Canada pwned men's skeleton!

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Friday, 17 February 2006 19:26 (nineteen years ago)

Emanuel Sandhu flopping in his long program was to be expected.

It was funny to watch Kurt Browning's post-competition analysis on the CBC and hear him talk about talented skaters like Sandhu who couldn't deliver at the Olympics.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Friday, 17 February 2006 20:10 (nineteen years ago)

Pity about that Method air on the boardercross.

― Collardio Gelatinous (collardio), Saturday, 18 February 2006 04:41 (nineteen years ago)

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/1574888498.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
SNOWBOARD EDITION

The Swiss gold medalist flag-dancing not ten feet from her was almost painful to watch. Nice work NBC.

― Sparkle Motion's Rising Force, Saturday, 18 February 2006 04:48 (nineteen years ago)

If she had had the cheat code on she wouldn't have lost her balance.

― Jimmy Mod: The Prettiest Flower In The Pond (The Famous Jimmy Mod), Saturday, 18 February 2006 04:52 (nineteen years ago)

oh that hurt.

but snowboard cross is my new favorite sport.

― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Saturday, 18 February 2006 04:53 (nineteen years ago)

Who cares if she was waving a flag? It's the Olympics, they worked for years for that moment, they're entitled to celebrate however they want. Not to mention that snowboarding is intricately linked with showboating and one-upsmanship.

Between the snowboard cross and the women's hockey team apparently at a photo shoot instead of preparing for their game against Sweden a few hours later, it wasn't a good day for American cockiness.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Saturday, 18 February 2006 05:43 (nineteen years ago)

i liked the 30 seconds of dead air on nbc, followed by the color commentator's flabbergasted "DUDE... she tried a method!!"

― vahid (vahid), Saturday, 18 February 2006 06:56 (nineteen years ago)

That Tim Hortons commercial: there's a full version and a short version. I think the longer one makes more sense. I teared up too... I have a shitload of baggage about dads watching sons play sports, so, um... anyway, the first time I saw it was just after that Norwegian coach had given his ski pole to one of the Canadian cross-country skiers, allowing her to continue on and win silver, and I was thinking about how people can be so fucking great sometimes, especially right after you almost gave up on them when you just looked at photos from Abu Ghraib and suchlike.

― David A. (Davant), Saturday, 18 February 2006 08:17 (nineteen years ago)

That post made little sense and I'm not even drunk!

― David A. (Davant), Saturday, 18 February 2006 08:19 (nineteen years ago)

god, that ice hockey thing was retarded. stupid stupid stupid.

― kingfish has gene rayburn's mic (kingfish 2.0), Saturday, 18 February 2006 08:41 (nineteen years ago)

the nyt salutes lindsey jacobellis.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/gypsyfrocksbedlam/jacobellis.jpg

― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Saturday, 18 February 2006 08:48 (nineteen years ago)

She was claiming that she grabbed the board because it helped her to get less air and go faster. You be the judge! is she wearing Yankee pinstripe pants? The ice dancing seemed to be less flamboyant than in the past sadly. i like the bad fake tans and silly outfits!

Look at the abdomen valley!

http://www.h3.dion.ne.jp/~lambiel/sonia/miko3/images/Ex_Lucinda5_jpg.jpg

― Mr Jones (Mr Jones), Saturday, 18 February 2006 12:19 (nineteen years ago)

"This is easy as falling off a log...OH SHI--"

― ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!! (ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!!), Saturday, 18 February 2006 12:25 (nineteen years ago)

I wonder if there will comea day when tickling becomes an olympic sport, becuase that lady coudl really be tickled right now!

― Mr Jones (Mr Jones), Saturday, 18 February 2006 12:27 (nineteen years ago)

I think they're Burton pinstripe pants.

― Mädchen (Madchen), Saturday, 18 February 2006 13:03 (nineteen years ago)

yes, David A., that's a great story about the ski pole. and that feeling is a huge part of why I like the Olympics, (esp the Winter ones - not just b/c I'm Cdn but b/c of what winter, well, means.)

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Saturday, 18 February 2006 14:23 (nineteen years ago)

The Swiss gold medalist flag-dancing not ten feet from her was almost painful to watch

Even more than Swiss girl's dancing, it was the fact that Ms. Ponytails stood ten feet away all alone for a good, what, eight seconds? I was wondering when her posse was going to get their shit together to amble over to her. Oh the melodrama!

And whatever she herself has made of the whole incident, man was she seething with hostility when Bob "You Really Fucked Up Didn't You" Costas interviewed her.

― Collardio Gelatinous (collardio), Saturday, 18 February 2006 16:35 (nineteen years ago)

I enjoy an analogy to imperial hubris as much as the next guy, but I really think people are laying too much on LJ--and I don't even like her much. And, I'm a heeeeyuuuuge fan of schadenfreude, the delicious satisfaction of one's burning spite.

But, as I've said elsewhere, the perfect analogy to USA would need to include thuggery, cheating, AND arrogance. (I'm thinking of a certain retired pro cyclist). I'm not even sure LJ was arrogant-- it seemed to me that her botched method was celebratory for the most part. Compared to what happens in pro sports, it was fucking restrained, even. Hubris? K, all yall are overreaching.

― Hunter (Hunter), Saturday, 18 February 2006 18:28 (nineteen years ago)

I agree, Hunter. What's more, there's an element of luck involved in boardercross that hardly inculcates hubris.

― Collardio Gelatinous (collardio), Saturday, 18 February 2006 18:48 (nineteen years ago)

I enjoy an analogy to imperial hubris as much as the next guy, but I really think people are laying too much on LJ--and I don't even like her much.

It was the first stupid joke that popped into my mind. I thought that's what the internet was all about. On the other hand, I suppose taking dumb jokes too seriously is also what the internet is all about. And finding oneself needing to defend ones dumb joke, that's definitely what the internet's all about.

ANyway, the LJ race made for a great intro to Olympic Snowboardcross, that's for sure.

― Sparkle Motion's Rising Force, Saturday, 18 February 2006 19:25 (nineteen years ago)

I think they're Burton pinstripe pants.
-- Mädchen (madchen_in_unifor...), February 18th, 2006 5:03 AM. (Madchen)

it's from burton's "idiom" line

― vahid (vahid), Saturday, 18 February 2006 19:44 (nineteen years ago)

Sparkle, your joke was good--I didn't intend my comment to sound quite so pointed to you in particular. It's just that there's been an awful lot of: "WORST GAFFE EVER, AND SO EMBLEMATIC!" going on in all types of media.

The internets are serious biznesses.

― Hunter (Hunter), Saturday, 18 February 2006 20:08 (nineteen years ago)

maybe not a good day for canadian cockiness - or just canadian hockey-ness.

― hstencil (hstencil), Saturday, 18 February 2006 20:10 (nineteen years ago)

> Snowboard Cross was awesome, the commentator even more so!

Ed Leigh normally does commentary on ch4's freesports stuff, usually broadcast insanely late or at 7 on saturday morning (and often more skateboarding and bmx than snowboarding). knows his stuff and is funny with it.

Shaun White, who won the men's halfpipe like he was always gonna, also competes with the pros in the skate vert in (summer) x-games. being a twisty turny thing on a snowboard appears to make you a super twisty turny thing on a skateboard given that a skateboard is a fraction of the weight (unfortunately a skateboard isn't bound to you feet the way a snowboard is so he often falls off).

i like the way that the english people's rankings are always preceeded with the word 'respectful' - that 'respectful 17th position' etc

― koogs (koogs), Saturday, 18 February 2006 20:43 (nineteen years ago)

Shani Davis wins 1000m after refusing Pursuit. Made it pay off. Who knows what was said, but Hedrick can't get over it.

Asked after the 1,000 if he was happy for Davis, Hedrick replied pointedly:

"I'm happy for Joey [Cheek, who finished second]."

― Hunter (Hunter), Saturday, 18 February 2006 21:21 (nineteen years ago)

Stence -- no argument from me, dude!

I've only seen one version of the Tim Horton's commercial -- I think it's 60 sec long? Is this the long version?

Basically, I can't forgive the grandfather for being a dick to his son about hockey for 30 years, even if he did secretly love the game. Buying him a double double hardly makes up for it either.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Sunday, 19 February 2006 00:02 (nineteen years ago)

I haven't been following the Olympics at all this year mainly because our cable melted and we had to move the TV. I heard tonight though that there's a Swedish athlete with my name (I spell it with one "s").
http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/torino2006/swe/Maria+Danielsson/606204

― Maria :D (Maria D.), Sunday, 19 February 2006 00:29 (nineteen years ago)

WHy has no one yet invented a sport where you ice skate down the luge pipe? that would be kool.

Or what about biatholon luge - they have to shoot down clay pigeons as they go down

― Mr Jones (Mr Jones), Sunday, 19 February 2006 03:50 (nineteen years ago)

Wow, now I've seen Davis's post-race interview, and I'm saying: how can the gap between a black man from Chicago and a white man from Houston be bridged? A: Easy, we'll both behave like stereotypical feuding chicks.

― Hunter (Hunter), Sunday, 19 February 2006 05:32 (nineteen years ago)

that davis interview was ridiculous. he wouldn't even look at the camera. what a bunch of overpaid cunts.

― tehresa (tehresa), Sunday, 19 February 2006 05:50 (nineteen years ago)

Jay Mariotti's writing columns about Davis's selfishness, therefore I now love Davis with all my heart. But I still won't watch a minute of the winter olympics unless it's one of the hot ladeeez.

― Erick Dampier is better than Shaq (miloaukerman), Sunday, 19 February 2006 06:32 (nineteen years ago)

Shani Davis is such a bitch, all disrespecting the Melissa Stark 'n stuff! He could have a ton of endorsements going his way, unless he blows it by acting like a prick. The Olympics are no place to be an asshole...that's what pro sports are for.

― musically (musically), Sunday, 19 February 2006 07:59 (nineteen years ago)

What's more, there's an element of luck involved in boardercross that hardly inculcates hubris.

If the same few people consistently win nearly every major race, exactly how much luck is there?

― oops (Oops), Sunday, 19 February 2006 08:22 (nineteen years ago)

I didn't see this NBC interview, what happened? He seemed like a cool guy when they interviewed him on the CBC.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Sunday, 19 February 2006 09:10 (nineteen years ago)

after he won she was asking him questions like "how great do you feel to be the first african american to win olympic gold?" and "are you excited?" and he just kind of stood there, stone-faced, not looking at the camera. it got so bad that she came out and said, "are you angry?"

― tehresa (tehresa), Sunday, 19 February 2006 16:40 (nineteen years ago)

To which I resond, why'z it gotta be about race?

― Jimmy Mod: The Prettiest Flower In The Pond (The Famous Jimmy Mod), Sunday, 19 February 2006 17:53 (nineteen years ago)

FWIW, I've decided I much prefer the media's presentation of Davis as a petulant, terse diva, to that of Hedricks as a an endlessly mouthy, horse-faced, bitchy theater major ("I'm a great teammate," and "we'll see who's a better man." Really, Chadster? What, you're dueling for a Nobel Prize or something?) We need a Jeff-Gilooly-with-a-bat moment going into the 1500m.

I doubt either is overpaid by athletics standards.

Sweden looked tight in the good sense today, in beating USA in Hockey.

― Hunter (Hunter), Sunday, 19 February 2006 19:57 (nineteen years ago)

To which I resond, why'z it gotta be about race?

It's an important first in Olympic history that I think most anyone would be proud to hold...the first black person to win individual gold at the Winter games. And of course the fact that he's American makes it even more of a great story for NBC to focus on.

― musically (musically), Sunday, 19 February 2006 20:23 (nineteen years ago)

But, he's just another American who won a medal, yes? Why is his colour of any significance? It's as relevant (i.e. not very) as being the first redhead, or the first Catholic, or something, yes?

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 19 February 2006 20:25 (nineteen years ago)

Also, can I get all excited about the curling since I have a tenuous real-life connection to one of the British men's team (we used to live round the corner from each other, and his mother used to cut my hair)? Cheers.

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 19 February 2006 20:38 (nineteen years ago)

Ewan McDonald that is. His wife Fiona already has a gold medal, being part of the GB team that won the last time.

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 19 February 2006 20:40 (nineteen years ago)

In other tenuous connections to the Winter Olympics, I've just realised via the magic of Google that I used to go to school with Alain Baxter's fiancee.

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 19 February 2006 22:13 (nineteen years ago)

Ice dance or roller derby? You decide.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Monday, 20 February 2006 02:25 (nineteen years ago)

I don't think that cockiness had anything to do with the Canadian hockey team losing to Switzerland. The Swiss managed to ride a hot goalie, and a disallowed goal that was clearly in, to an undeserved victory. They were outshot 24-1 in the third period. My old men's league team could have at least mustered up 2 shots.

― J-rock (Julien Sandiford), Monday, 20 February 2006 03:56 (nineteen years ago)

yes it's true the history of redheads in america perfectly parallels the history of african americans.

― oops (Oops), Monday, 20 February 2006 04:09 (nineteen years ago)

(though obv this is mostly a case of the media looking for an angle, a story, and has no real significance)

― oops (Oops), Monday, 20 February 2006 04:10 (nineteen years ago)

OMG Did anyone else see the Home Depot ad with Paralympian Monte Miller? He was the year ahead of me in high school!

Big upz.

― gbx (skowly), Monday, 20 February 2006 05:08 (nineteen years ago)

oh man, all the ice dancers falling was kind of hilarious tonight. except that one chick seemed in a lot of pain.

― tehresa (tehresa), Monday, 20 February 2006 05:13 (nineteen years ago)

bobsled.

"abosulute mountain of a man"

"useful"

― terry lennox. (gareth), Monday, 20 February 2006 08:07 (nineteen years ago)

Aerials are CRAZY. To watch, to imagine doing, to actually do. All the commentary is peppered with things like "ah, they wear mouthguards so they don't bite into their tongues when they land. That and concussions are the most common injuries. These landings are hard." And then later, in an interview with an athlete, he's explaining his technique and nonchalantly drops "I could break my neck any time." FUN.

I also saw a bobsled crash this morning - the two athletes were okay but they skidded along for what seemed like forever - and the commentators were like, "These sleds go SO FAST when they flip - the friction of the ice can tear through skin" etc. yeah, winter olympics = way more BRUTAL than summer olympics.

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Monday, 20 February 2006 18:08 (nineteen years ago)

The BBC commentators have been tempting fate all along by going on and on and on about how amazing it is nobody has crashed (yet). It's their second most annoying comment, after "they know they've won a medal, but the question is ... what colour?"

― Mädchen (Madchen), Monday, 20 February 2006 18:20 (nineteen years ago)

I've discovered an affinity for the women's speed skating like I've never had before. Ladies be thick!

― Steely Df'nM (OutDatWay), Monday, 20 February 2006 19:05 (nineteen years ago)

Cor, John & Sinead Kerr have been practising Highland flings in their warm ups! This is going to be great!

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 20 February 2006 19:43 (nineteen years ago)

(or possibly rubbish, but I'll err on the side of great for now)

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 20 February 2006 19:45 (nineteen years ago)

THat's the crazy bit about the skating. They're getting so hardcore that i'm quite surprised that several of the women haven't come down with ACL damage or something.

― kingfish has gene rayburn's mic (kingfish 2.0), Monday, 20 February 2006 19:54 (nineteen years ago)

Canada 4, Sweden 0 in women's hockey. Halfway through the game. Nice.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Monday, 20 February 2006 20:37 (nineteen years ago)

I liked Sinead's dress but wasn't so keen on John's Bay City Rollers flares.

― Mädchen (Madchen), Monday, 20 February 2006 20:51 (nineteen years ago)

Re: the hockey game, 2 periods down: It's great! oh, the asskicking.

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Monday, 20 February 2006 20:52 (nineteen years ago)

I said Bay City Rollers to Neil too! Tartan headband!! They were good. I liked Sinead's dress, and that handstand thing they did at the start.

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 20 February 2006 21:00 (nineteen years ago)

yaay! Good game, with a push near the end from Sweden, which was cool. Happy happy Canadians, brings a tear to my eye.

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Monday, 20 February 2006 21:46 (nineteen years ago)

One of many kick-ass things about Olympic hockey -- the medal ceremony takes place on the ice, five minutes after the game ends. I can understand wanting to give out the medals at predetermined days and times at a centrally located place in Torino, but there's nothing like receiving a medal while still in uniform in an arena full of fans.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Monday, 20 February 2006 22:06 (nineteen years ago)

I lost my access to CBC when I left Michigan. Did they ship Don Cherry over there for commentary?

― kingfish has gene rayburn's mic (kingfish 2.0), Monday, 20 February 2006 22:29 (nineteen years ago)

Yes! It looks really great, all in the moment and exciting and emotional.
xpost

haha, no Don.

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Monday, 20 February 2006 22:30 (nineteen years ago)

The BBC just showed the most heartwarming thing: a Madagascan skiier in the super-G (I think). He fell *twice* but managed to stay within the gates and so made it to the finish. That's why I love the Olympics :)

― Mädchen (Madchen), Monday, 20 February 2006 22:33 (nineteen years ago)

I love all the Bode Miller stories these past couple of days talking about the 'pained expressions' on the faces of the US Ski Team coaches/managers.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 19:10 (nineteen years ago)

What did they expect? He's a bad boy, destined to break your heart.

― Nemo (JND), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 19:12 (nineteen years ago)

Further amusement.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 19:13 (nineteen years ago)

re: cockiness, it was a joke.

significance of davis winning: makes bryant gumbel (and whomever that dude was who wrote basically the same thing at slate) look dumb.

― hstencil (hstencil), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 19:27 (nineteen years ago)

Shani Davis rules, he's been getting a bad shake from the media, never mind U.S. skating etc. I am biased as he's from my area and trains a few blocks from my moms apt. but yeah. Shani rulez!

― deej.. (deej..), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 01:04 (nineteen years ago)

Re: Cockiness

When it comes to Olympic hockey Canadians, (myself included) have absolutely no sense of humour.

As far as Shani Davis goes, good for him. I hope the media leaves him the hell alone.

Canadian hockey team beat the Czechs, but they still look a little shaky. The Russians and Swedes will bury them if they don't get a lot better quickly.

― J-rock (Julien Sandiford), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 02:27 (nineteen years ago)

hey what's the name of the incredibly incredibly blonde chick who does that skating thing with a dude ('couples skating'?) and she's REALLY fucking hot and she won a medal i think what's her name?

― j blount (papa la bas), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 02:34 (nineteen years ago)

Tanith Belbin?

― My Psychic Friends Are Strangely Silent (Ex Leon), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 02:37 (nineteen years ago)

I think I was the one who invoked the accusations of cockiness on this thread. We'll have to retire that word after the Olympics in honour of Bode Miller.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 02:40 (nineteen years ago)

big ups nicole! omg there's all these pics with her legs spread up in the air and stuff on google image search - i will be surveying them later tonight.

is bode cocky? i thought he was like mellow or something, aren't snowboarders like surfers in temperment?

― j blount (papa la bas), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 02:45 (nineteen years ago)

I'd say that pre-Olympic Bode was cocky ("I can ski while wasted and still kick all your asses"). Post-Olympic Bode is mellow ("it doesn't matter if I win anything or not").

When did every female figure skater become a contortionist? Have I not been paying close enough attention to the sport?

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 04:14 (nineteen years ago)

bode is a skier.

― oops (Oops), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 04:20 (nineteen years ago)

― j blount (papa la bas), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 04:42 (nineteen years ago)

it would have been fun if she wore the project runway outfit!

― tehresa (tehresa), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 04:47 (nineteen years ago)

Does anyone find the idea of calling a 16-year old "Kimmie" sorta demeaning? I mean, if she were 8 or mentally disabled maybe this wouldn't get my goat the way it does....maybe it's bugging me cuz she's from my area and I have to hear her name and life story TEN TIMES A FRICKIN' DAY

Sasha Cohen PWNED short program

― Raymond Cummings (Raymond Cummings), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 12:55 (nineteen years ago)

there's nothing demeaning about kimmie. ill worry when they continue calling her that at 27.

slutskaya should have never left the rink before cohen's program. i bet that was some bad news to hear the next day.

also, never before have i seen so many bad laybacks.

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 14:44 (nineteen years ago)

I'm curious what makes a bad layback. I probably wouldn't understand the explanation though! There sure was a lot of the grabbing-one-skate-behind-the-head flexibility on display. Eurosport reran the ladies' short programs this morning. I can't make up my mind about Slutskaya's jumpsuit/catsuit outfit. I suppose I feel that the all-in-one thing is the territory of the speed skaters or something, although the dark blue color of her outfit was kind of pretty.

― sgs (sgs), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 18:07 (nineteen years ago)

Oh, I loved her trousers! Actually I got kind of excited about the Japanese skater who wore all black + black skates, cos I don't remember seeing other women do so (not that I really follow skating outside the Olympics), and then FREAKED OUT at Slutskaya.

― Laurel (Laurel), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 18:12 (nineteen years ago)

Slutskaya's outfit was butt ugly.

Holy shit Cindy Klassen! Medal #4!!

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 18:13 (nineteen years ago)

Maria Tessa, tell us what makes a bad layback!

NoTime: I believe you meant to say, "I think Slutskaya's outfit was butt ugly." (Italics mine)

― Laurel (Laurel), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 18:15 (nineteen years ago)

Have I missed the discussion of the Italian ice-dancers? What provoked their steely stand-off?

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 18:28 (nineteen years ago)

Ooh they were so pissed off! It totally looked like some slappin' was imminent.

I didn't see the all-black outfit...I've realized that I think Slutskaya's outfit did a good job of showing off her jumps etc--the commentators commented that she has an unusual jumping form or something, which I know nothing about, so perhaps the outfit helps to show off whatever works well about it. During the skate-behind-head skills, it looked a little weirder to me than the skirty things they normally wear, but I've decided that I liked the outfit.

What still kind of creeps me out are those tan stockings that pull right over the skates.

― sgs (sgs), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 18:39 (nineteen years ago)

With you abt the foot stockings!! Freaky!

― Laurel (Laurel), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 18:46 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.usfigureskating.org/content/events/200405/campbellsclassic/photos/cohen-layback.jpg

textbook perfect. anything else is wrong and/or should be referred to as an attitude spin.

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 19:06 (nineteen years ago)

actually, i liked irina's outfit. i dont think many women could pull it off though.

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 19:07 (nineteen years ago)

hm, i kinda luv the look, or maybe even the sound too, of that latter sentence!

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 19:10 (nineteen years ago)

pulling the stockings over the skates is a necessity. nothing worse than having one of your laces come apart in competition.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a9/TonyaHarding-1994.jpg/200px-TonyaHarding-1994.jpg

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 19:12 (nineteen years ago)

XP: Well, no -- the female commentator did specifically say that the pantsuit owed much of its workingness to Slutskaya's athleticism and her "figure", which is to say, she's slender and leggy w narrow hips (aka "boyish").

MT, thanks for the example photo, but without similar snaps of last night's competitors, I can't differentiate. Can you maybe explain how the faulty laybacks were, err...faulty?

― Laurel (Laurel), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 19:14 (nineteen years ago)

The creepy thing isn't the stockings themselves, it's the tan/flesh-coloured hue that makes it look like the skaters had a freakish plastic surgery to attach a skate to the end of their leg.

xpost

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 19:15 (nineteen years ago)

what part of "if it doesnt look like this, its wrong" is hard to understand?

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 19:21 (nineteen years ago)

Dear american,

you can only live off one memory for 20 years. After that, you have to win something. No, the world cup in 1996 does not count.

Also, stop saying 'miracle'.

― Jimmy Mod: The Prettiest Flower In The Pond (The Famous Jimmy Mod), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 19:33 (nineteen years ago)

XP: The part where I didn't register and/or don't remember the exact positioning of the other skaters when I watched the routines last night, because I don't know exactly what points to look for? So I can't recall how, exactly, they might have deviated? Nevermind, I'll just look it up elsewhere.

― Laurel (Laurel), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 19:34 (nineteen years ago)

Johnny Weir is faaaaabulous.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 20:53 (nineteen years ago)

Meanwhile, the whole Austrian coach thing took a strange turn.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 20:53 (nineteen years ago)

The thing took a strange turn from the beginning! Also, the English language reporting on this has been godawful -- no surprise given that two American and one British reporter at the IOC's initial press conference on Sunday asked questions about the "Australian" team, and only one of them corrected herself. There were no roadblocks waiting for Mayer in Austria -- he was asleep in his car in a small town just over the border, somebody calls the cops to check this situation out, the cops want to do a Breathalyzer and he refuses, knocks a cop over and takes off in his car. Then and only then was a roadblock set up.

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 21:30 (nineteen years ago)

It's always good to have someone like yourself to clear these things up. :-) So does this guy have nothing but a shady past?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 21:32 (nineteen years ago)

No, a shady past and a history of winning skiers! Given the ÖSV (the Austrian Ski Association)'s continued insistence that "pee tests will be negative and no drugs will be found" and the fact that the results of the pee tests are WAY overdue, I think that Mayer and a couple of his guys were doing SOMETHING to the blood that didn't involve adding chemicals to it (I am fairly clueless about blood doping, but apparantly there are techniques involving UV light).

He was also a legimate employee of the ÖSV -- they had fired him after the SLC scandal, but an Austrian court found the firing illegal according to Austrian law -- and the FIS has never questioned his credentials, and in fact has stated that they don't agree with the IOC's ruling banning him.

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 21:40 (nineteen years ago)

Noooooooooo!
Canada vs Russia, men's hockey. Big game, but wtf, Canada.
oh well...

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 21:47 (nineteen years ago)

that weir article was so entertaining, thank you.

― ai lien (kold_krush), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 22:01 (nineteen years ago)

Hehe, you're welcome.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 22:09 (nineteen years ago)

wow.

― hstencil (hstencil), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 23:55 (nineteen years ago)

Good things about the Canadian men's hockey team losing:

1) we can get back to celebrating Canada's best one-day Olympic medal haul ever
2) they haven't played well in this tournament (including today) and didn't deserve to win gold anyhow
3) the Americans also lost so now I'll be happy no matter who wins the gold
4) a smaller chance that Don Cherry will make racist comments about other countries' athletes (hopefully?)

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Thursday, 23 February 2006 00:37 (nineteen years ago)

"Good things about the Canadian men's hockey team losing"

There is NOTHING good about the men's hockey team losing. That's loser talk. Canada opened the tournament with two ugly wins. Then we were embarrassed by a Swiss team who, in spite of being competent, didn't have a single player (goalies excluded) that even belonged on the same ice as our guys. Add to that a loss to the Finns, a team who is international hockey's eternal bridesmaid; good, but never one of the major threats. And to cap everything off, our "big guns" go completely silent (for the 3rd time in 5 games) against the Russians. Let the second guessing begin...

...Bertuzzi, Draper and Nash (who I like, and think is a gifted player, but been battling injuries all year), had no right being there if Spezza, Staal and Crosby had to watch from the sidelines. I love Wayne Gretzky, and I mean really, really love him; but his blind insistence on experience and past performance cost this team large. The Russians didn't leave Ovechkin and Malkin at home because they haven't won much of anything yet. They brought them because they're two of the best young players alive - and they've been rewarded for it. Crosby's game is designed for the big ice, and given the complete lack of offensive spark they showed, they could have used him. Same goes for Spezza. Heatly and Spezza represent 2/3 of the NHL's most dominant line (as a Leaf fan it kills me to say that), and he's having a career year, but instead Gretz used all of his considerable clout to ensure that Bertuzzi - who's not only a thug, but a washed up thug at that - got a place.

The defence looked slow and out of it for most of the tournament, and I've never seen so many all-stars and future hall-of-famers take so many stupid, STUPID penalties. It was like some guy from the beer league stole Pronger's jersey and went out just to have a laugh.

I also can't believe that team CANADA seemed to forget how to hit. At last year's world junior's, the Canadians were merciless on the forecheck and absolutely hammered the competition at every turn. It threw the opposition off their game as it's hard to make a good play when you're worried that you might get put through the boards for your troubles.

This sucks and I'm pissed. I imagine that there are probably 30 000 000 other people equally as unimpressed as myself. They had better get their shit together for Vancouver. It's one thing to fly across the world and play like shit, it's another to do it at home.

I don't even care who wins now, but I hope that the Russians go deep because they are fun to watch.

― J-rock (Julien Sandiford), Thursday, 23 February 2006 08:05 (nineteen years ago)

dear olympics, pls ff to USA v. CAN hockye finalss for both genderz k thx.

ROFFLE!!!!

― zappi (joni), Thursday, 23 February 2006 14:19 (nineteen years ago)

PWNED!

― Jimmy Mod: The Prettiest Flower In The Pond (The Famous Jimmy Mod), Thursday, 23 February 2006 15:07 (nineteen years ago)

True, there's nothing really "good" about that loss, but having won gold in 2002, it stings less.

Crosby's game is designed for the big ice, and given the complete lack of offensive spark they showed, they could have used him.

I think this is key ... they must do a better job at picking players who will excel on the larger ice surface, particularly because most of the other teams in the tourney are European and are more accustomed to playing on that surface. Slower teams that can't keep up with the speed required to play on it ALWAYS end up taking stupid penalties to slow down the opposition.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Thursday, 23 February 2006 16:12 (nineteen years ago)

those female canadian speed skaters were pretty impressive, take solace in that, or something.

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 23 February 2006 16:17 (nineteen years ago)

That falls under #1 on my list of good things.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Thursday, 23 February 2006 16:32 (nineteen years ago)

They were very impressive! They need better costume design though. Man, why can't I shut up about sports attire on this thread? Yeesh.

The Canadians have been great to watch in the speed skating, as has the guy from Korea (Anh?) who would cruise in last place in all of his short track heats and then zoom around the outside to get in front on the last lap.

I just saw an interview with Chemmy and she was teh cuet.

― sgs (sgs), Thursday, 23 February 2006 19:10 (nineteen years ago)

Sasha Cohen is gorgeous.

― suzy (suzy), Thursday, 23 February 2006 21:59 (nineteen years ago)

She is, yes. She also fell on her arse, which made me laugh a bit. The Japanese lassie who won wasn't terribly inspiring.

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 23 February 2006 22:08 (nineteen years ago)

shit! i should not have clicked on this thread until after our delayed primetime coverage this evening. oh well.

― tehresa (tehresa), Thursday, 23 February 2006 22:19 (nineteen years ago)

Oh Ailsa!

― suzy (suzy), Thursday, 23 February 2006 22:42 (nineteen years ago)

Nobody came close to Arakawa. Places #2-#4 could have come in nearly any order. I thought Slutskaya was better than Cohen, but that's why they have actual scoresheets for these competitions now. And Canada's Rochette was 5th!

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Thursday, 23 February 2006 22:43 (nineteen years ago)

Shit.

― Laurel (Laurel), Thursday, 23 February 2006 22:46 (nineteen years ago)

I liked Arakawa. And they said that the top ranked Japanese skater was only slightly too young to compete this year...hm. All of the falling was painful to watch, especially as the BBC then montaged it all to the soundtrack of Bocelli's theme at the end of the program, wtf.

― sgs (sgs), Thursday, 23 February 2006 23:05 (nineteen years ago)

isnt the falling the best part of figure skating? thats why i watch it, anyway

― phil-two (phil-two), Thursday, 23 February 2006 23:26 (nineteen years ago)

It makes me cringe almost as much as the commentators' ensuing laments about crushed hopes and dashed dreams etc. Then again I didn't have a favorite going into the competition, so it wasn't like my own hopes were being cruelly slammed into the ice, so yeah...I have to admit it was a little entertaining.

― sgs (sgs), Thursday, 23 February 2006 23:46 (nineteen years ago)

Gawd, the figure skating is such a crushworthy event. Sasha, Irina...

― Collardio Gelatinous (collardio), Friday, 24 February 2006 05:11 (nineteen years ago)

I WANT SLUTSKAYA'S JACKET SO BAD

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Friday, 24 February 2006 06:00 (nineteen years ago)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v134/tracerhand/slutskaya.jpg

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Friday, 24 February 2006 07:05 (nineteen years ago)

hahaha. hipster retro kitsch from across the globe

― kingfish has gene rayburn's mic (kingfish 2.0), Friday, 24 February 2006 07:12 (nineteen years ago)

Oh I didn't see it like that at all! Just a cool jacket. Before I downloaded this picture I actually mistook the fleur-de-lis (ish) thing on her shoulder for a DRAGON! It's repeated bigger right down the back of her jacket.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Friday, 24 February 2006 07:36 (nineteen years ago)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v134/tracerhand/slutskaya3.jpg

"I forgot to wear my trucker hat!!"

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Friday, 24 February 2006 07:44 (nineteen years ago)

I don't think I've had an Olympic crush like this ever. Everything about her was awesome. I really don't get how she only got bronze.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Friday, 24 February 2006 07:54 (nineteen years ago)

Ha! Slutskaya looks exactly like Emma Forrest, especially when being unintentionally hip.

― suzy (suzy), Friday, 24 February 2006 08:03 (nineteen years ago)

"And Nietzsche, with his theory of eternal recurrence. He said that the life we lived we're gonna live over again the exact same way for eternity. Great. That means I'll have to sit through the Ice Capades again."

-Woody Allen, Hannah and Her Sisters

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Friday, 24 February 2006 14:22 (nineteen years ago)

arakawa was clean on technical elements but totally DOA when it came to "artistry". but i guess this is how the NJS wants it. not that cohen or slutskaya should have won, though they were leap years more interesting on the ice...

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Friday, 24 February 2006 14:26 (nineteen years ago)

She doesn't, really, Suzy.

― Markelby (Mark C), Friday, 24 February 2006 14:27 (nineteen years ago)

also, arakawa used the same spin combo [camel/donut/sit] THREE times in her program.

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Friday, 24 February 2006 14:28 (nineteen years ago)

Arakawa nailed everything, presumably wanting to guarantee herself the bronze. Her preciseness and lack of mistakes indicate a huge amount of hard work rather than natural grace and daring - I don't think she should be thought less of a skater because she's made the most of a different set of talents.

― Markelby (Mark C), Friday, 24 February 2006 14:28 (nineteen years ago)

I WANT SLUTSKAYA'S JACKET SO BAD

Me too! I'm so pathetic.

― My Psychic Friends Are Strangely Silent (Ex Leon), Friday, 24 February 2006 14:56 (nineteen years ago)

Her last spin before coming to a stop was OUTRAGEOUS. She started going so fast I thought she was going to launch herself into the cheap seats.

xpost: hahaha

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Friday, 24 February 2006 15:02 (nineteen years ago)

I have actually been searching online for it.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Friday, 24 February 2006 15:08 (nineteen years ago)

i competely disagree with this. we might as well reinstate compulsory figures if technical skill is the primary focus of the sport. arakawa's win is testament to the flaws of the NJS, a system preoccupied with racking up points for technical elements rather than evaluating the entirety of a program. anyone can skate a clean program, but can they elevate it to something beyond just good skills? thats what separates good skaters from the incredible ones.

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Friday, 24 February 2006 15:44 (nineteen years ago)

Her last spin before coming to a stop was OUTRAGEOUS.

I think you're referring to the other Japanese skater (who finished fourth).

She also skated a routine that was two years old. Running to stand still, yeah ... I thought it was beautifully choreographed, even if not as inventive as Slutskaya and Cohen's routines. Slutskaya also kept going back to the same spins (six Bielmanns in her short program, I forgot to keep track during the long program) which was presumably the tiebreaker between her and Cohen for silver.

― NTBTloggedout, Friday, 24 February 2006 15:57 (nineteen years ago)

MT, what's yr opinion of figures for relevance/usefulness/whatev? I know next to nothing about them, except a memory of that picture from A Very Young Skater in which she's got her cheek to the ice, looking at her edges. They sound like a huge pain, at the very least. But did a separate "figures" score allow skaters to get the technical part out of the way and look at their routines differently?

― Laurel (Laurel), Friday, 24 February 2006 15:57 (nineteen years ago)

ihttp://media3.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/photo/2006/02/23/PH2006022301375.jpg

She almost looks happy. In an 'ah well, fly away and be free' sense.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 24 February 2006 16:07 (nineteen years ago)

All I know is, I want to climb into Irina's blushing cheeks and live inside them.

― Collardio Gelatinous (collardio), Friday, 24 February 2006 16:07 (nineteen years ago)

see, i feel like with the new system, all the routines look the same because they're trying to put all these elements in and not paying enough attention to the artistry, and most of the routines didn't even match the music at all. i thought arkawa showed a real grace while also nailing her technical elements. she came off as a much more polished skater to my non-ice-knoweldgable eyes. i equate what i saw to vocal competitions and recitals (something i am knowledgable about) - it's great if you have killer high notes or runs, but if you can't sustain your middle voice and keep the piece consistent, you're getting lower scores from me. while cohen kicked ass in the short program and came through in the latter half of her long program, i completely believe that two falls like that should mean you shouldn't win. i was flabergasted that the pairs duo who fell, waited, and started over medaled. and, for the record, arkawa's component score WAS higher than cohen's and slutskaya's, so i'm not the only one who thinks she was graceful and artistic.

― tehresa (tehresa), Friday, 24 February 2006 16:09 (nineteen years ago)

One thing that bugged me last night was how the jumps were getting in the way of the skaters' momentum. Especially on what's typically the first set of jumps - something like a triple, followed immediately by a double, then, (and by this time they've slowed to a crawl), let's see if we can squeeze one more out of this (summoning "Oh she fought for it!!" comments). For most skaters, by the end of this three jump sequence, they were nearly at a standstill. Did the old scoring system put such a premium on sheer quantity of consecutive jumps at the expense of momentum?

― Collardio Gelatinous (collardio), Friday, 24 February 2006 16:22 (nineteen years ago)

anyone can skate a clean program

Well clearly the two best skaters in the world can't, not all the time at least. Cohen fell doing a very tricky one I think? But Slutskaya just had a bad day at the office, it happens. Arakawa set out to achieve a certain level, achieved it to the very best of her abilities, and profited from the mistakes of others. I'm not sure we can criticise her for that, or the judges for marking her so highly.

Can we have a subsection of this thread where MT, laurel and others tell us exactly what constitiues each of the types of jump?

― Markelby (Mark C), Friday, 24 February 2006 16:33 (nineteen years ago)

No! Not me! I know nothing about figure skating, I'm just trying to get the benefit of an expert opinion. I found an online search not very helpful in trying to get a detailed description of a "layback spin", for instance -- various definitions were pretty much just, "a spin with a backward or sideways lean of the torso." which is obviously extremely vague and says nothing about leg position or arms or anything. This website seemed all right: http://www.skatejournal.com/spin.html

― Laurel (Laurel), Friday, 24 February 2006 16:41 (nineteen years ago)

A winning program should not only be skated well but should be an interesting piece of work. There's a reason why figure skating judges assign scores for technical and artistic interpretation. This, of course, is what makes figure skating controversial in the eyes of many, its what makes people deem figure skating "not a sport".

This is what makes figure skating such a controversial sport; not only is it something that is quite physical, it taps into other elements of figure skating besides landing jumps. And what truly makes certain skaters truly transcendental is striking a balance between these two worlds.

Compare Arakawa's performance last night with previous Olympic winners and it really doesn't match up. It was clean and well-executed but lacked a spark. Her choreography was uninspired, as evidenced by the fact that all her spins, save for the final, used the same exact sequence. Furthermore, you could have thrown an oldies station on behind her and the program would have been the same. The judges knew this, and thats why she received lower marks on interpretation.

[fyi, the remark about bielmanns - they were used consistently, but the spin combinations were all different each time. and making that sort of comment is like saying, "she does sit spins all the time". when its a techincal element, you'll see it used frequently.]

Do i think Cohen or Slutskaya should have won? Absolutely not. Should they have medaled? I dont know -- falling usually puts you out of medal contention. But watching their programs versus the other skaters, they have an innate ability to interpret music that many others don't. Its what separates the great skaters from the pack.

My comment about bringing compulsory figures back -- If technicality is what the sport thrives on, then you might as well bring back the most technical aspect of them all. of course, one of the reasons it was eliminated from competition was because the good skaters weren't very good at figures and that would hurt them in competition. [most skaters i know, including myself, struggled with figures. in fact, lots of incredible skaters were held back because they couldn't pass their tests.] Until the ISU changed the percentages for determining winners around, it's the reason why skaters like Beatrix Schuba wound up being World & Olympic champions -- not because they were incredible free skaters, but because their figures were better than everyone else.

I have very mixed feelings on the NJS -- I do feel its a step in the right direction but its not quite there yet. It didn't do away with judges favoring specific skaters either [scores for the more high profile skaters are clearly higher than those not so well known], NJS made it more difficult for the outcome to be influenced by favoritism. The system skews everything away from what skating should be, to something less than spectacular.

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Friday, 24 February 2006 18:17 (nineteen years ago)

btw, its MTS, not MT. thanks.

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Friday, 24 February 2006 18:19 (nineteen years ago)

I'm so sorry for spoiling it about Sasha falling, but I didn't realise people were on a time-delay elsewhere in the world. The commentators on the BBC were on about how this would be the second-largest audience for a sporting event this year in the USA (after the Superbowl), so it seemed fair to assume something of such importance would be going out live.

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 24 February 2006 18:24 (nineteen years ago)

S'okay, Ailsa. I only watch the network wrap-up in the evenings so I should have known better than to check thread but I wasn't thinking about spoilers -- I think most of the actual competitions take place during my work day...?

― Laurel (Laurel), Friday, 24 February 2006 18:46 (nineteen years ago)

Coehn was the only one whose skating I found beautiful. Arakawa skated not to fall/lose and together with an insipid routine left me feeling meh.

― M. White (Miguelito), Friday, 24 February 2006 18:48 (nineteen years ago)

I've probably spoiled some results too but I figured that the people who wanted to wait until primetime TV to hear about Olympic results would know better than to go on the internet during the day.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Friday, 24 February 2006 18:49 (nineteen years ago)

(and this is mainly stupid-ass NBC's fault)

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Friday, 24 February 2006 18:50 (nineteen years ago)

I put on earmuffs, disconnected cables, had my entire self wrapped in opaque shrinkwrap, and still couldn't avoid the seepage of satellite-transmitted spoilers into my brane.

― Collardio Gelatinous (collardio), Friday, 24 February 2006 18:52 (nineteen years ago)

Sciarrino is your surname right? I tend not to address people by their surname - it seems a bit formal to request it.

― Markelby (Mark C), Friday, 24 February 2006 18:54 (nineteen years ago)

maria tessa sciarrino, I would like to email you -- would you be willing to drop a line to my address (as shown below), or is the address in your sig real?

― Laurel (Laurel), Friday, 24 February 2006 19:02 (nineteen years ago)

I don't know, I liked Arakawa's program. She seemed so lithe and graceful, especially compared to all of the other skaters (with the exception of Cohen -- her program was more beautiful, if she had managed not to fall she would have been assured gold). And iirc she didn't do a ton of biellmans, which I think are so ugly and overused that they should be banned.

― My Psychic Friends Are Strangely Silent (Ex Leon), Friday, 24 February 2006 19:02 (nineteen years ago)

Compare Arakawa's performance last night with previous Olympic winners and it really doesn't match up.

hang on ...

It was clean and well-executed but lacked a spark. Her choreography was uninspired, as evidenced by the fact that all her spins, save for the final, used the same exact sequence.

Doesn't this describe Tara Lipinski's gold medal-winning skate in 1998? And Nancy Kerrigan's almost gold medal-winning skate in 1994? And didn't Sarah Hughes basically outjump everyone else to win the gold in 2002?

So I think technical merit has been dominating figure skating for a while ... the East-West divide has been slowly broken down (Kerrigan basically lost because the judges from former Eastern Bloc countries outnumbered the Western Bloc-ers by a 5-4 count). Elvis Stojko won like four world championships despite never being a very good artistic skater -- if he'd been born ten years earlier I think he would have been far less successful.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Friday, 24 February 2006 19:08 (nineteen years ago)

I guess what I'm getting at is that Arakawa's skate was the most "artistic" gold medal-winning Olympic skate since Oksana Baiul in 1994, and Katarina Witt before that.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Friday, 24 February 2006 19:09 (nineteen years ago)

i agree! it was nice to see a beautiful skate win, even if it wasn't as hard as the others (still looked plenty difficult to me!). much more pleasing aesthetically than the robot 16 year olds.

― tehresa (tehresa), Friday, 24 February 2006 19:12 (nineteen years ago)

Hmm yes, it was the other Japanese girl who had the ultra-torque. I thought she was GR8! At least she didn't fall.

My favorite outfit belonged to the giraffe-like Italian skater.

They don't give non-skaters (i.e. 99.9% of their audience) enough context to realize what's going on. There were a couple of explanations, but they whizzed by. The skaters receive marks -- but what's the highest possible mark? At the very least we need a graph showing how other skaters have done compared with the marks that are just coming up. It was frustrating. I agree with Collardio that the jumps are the least lovely part of the routines -- my favorite parts are the spins and the figures and I was struck by how TOTALLY uninterested the condescending and catty American commentators were in these elements; they'd chat away just before, during and after each jump, but one spin, or one graceful, impossible, single-skate curve arcing fully around the ice drew only silence.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Friday, 24 February 2006 19:37 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, that's why there should be good speed coming in and out of the jumps so that they mesh with the routine rather than feeling like abrupt transitions between the actual skating. Like others were saying upthread, this is a big drawback of those triple-jump combos -- everything comes to a screeching halt.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Friday, 24 February 2006 19:45 (nineteen years ago)

xpost They don't give non-skaters (i.e. 99.9% of their audience) enough context to realize what's going on. There were a couple of explanations, but they whizzed by. The skaters receive marks -- but what's the highest possible mark?
Totally! I would've loved a few minutes of narrated clips of ideal examples of each thing as a little intro by the commentators--they could've had a lot of fun with classic Olympic clips etc and given the current routines more context also in terms of those skaters who came before, etc. and the whole tradition they're in. The commentators here might name the jumps maybe, but they happen so fast it's hard to tell one from another most of the time.

― sgs (sgs), Friday, 24 February 2006 19:49 (nineteen years ago)

Austrian pee tests ALL came back negative, Italian authorities now floundering to explain why and to explain the delay. Surprise, surprise.

Fuckers owe us a medal or two.

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Friday, 24 February 2006 19:52 (nineteen years ago)

the condescending and catty American commentators

dude, right? especially the older man--I don't know his name. it seems like he only piped up to say something ridiculously mean after someone had fallen, like, "she has disgraced her nation and will walk in shame the rest of her days." unless the skater was American or "had a lovely figure" as he pervily commented.

― horsehoe (horseshoe), Friday, 24 February 2006 20:05 (nineteen years ago)

Hey, I like that guy! He keeps quiet unless he sees something either brilliant or really offensively bad (in his option, natch). Ben pointed out to me that a lot of people tape-record the performances and save them as keepsakes, so it's classier to hold the running commentary unless there's a reason to add something that will improve the viewer's experience. And he actually says WHY things are bad or sloppy, or alternately why he finds certain movements or positions really aesthetically pleasing or etc -- he offers a sort of quality-control aspect that I like.

― Laurel (Laurel), Friday, 24 February 2006 20:10 (nineteen years ago)

does he say why things are bad? it seemed to me like his analysis amounted to, "I'm just not seeing the fire."

― horsehoe (horseshoe), Friday, 24 February 2006 20:13 (nineteen years ago)

Nooo, he's the only one who commented, during the Tuesday programs, that he was seeing a lot of faked or "not real" laybacks, that the embellishments were confusing the lines but in fact they weren't the textbook version. Which is why I perked right up when our resident former skater mentioned the same thing. Or he noted at some point that a skater had used a very traditional split-jump that he particularly liked, even though you don't get extra points for it in the new system so hardly anyone does it anymore. And he said of a certain spiral position that he finds it really ugly and ungraceful but it picks up points so everyone was including it. I mean, I like his take on things. There were other things, too, I just don't know/remember the terms for certain moves or positions.

― Laurel (Laurel), Friday, 24 February 2006 20:20 (nineteen years ago)

Or he noted at some point that a skater had used a very traditional split-jump that he particularly liked, even though you don't get extra points for it in the new system so hardly anyone does it anymore. Right, I remember that. okay. he was just so doom and gloom sometimes, it bummed me out.

― horsehoe (horseshoe), Friday, 24 February 2006 20:25 (nineteen years ago)

One of them actually said one of the women looked like a "rhinoceros"

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Friday, 24 February 2006 20:36 (nineteen years ago)

Hmm, looks a LOT like Slutskaya to me (both are cool).

ihttp://www.dagensbok.com/images%5Cauthors%5Cemmaforrest.jpg

― suzy (suzy), Friday, 24 February 2006 20:49 (nineteen years ago)

Sasha Cohen is the people's champ. She doesn't have a snotty or standoffish face/vibe either, she's just concentrating so hard to be PERFECT, and be honest, if you, whether bitch or nigga, were her, you'd know you'd have to be perfect too. She's too high tech for her own good but nobody else looks like a perfectly designed pocket knife out there, the opposition is toenail cutter material. Imagine how fast and efficient she is in the shower too...like Q in the intro to Juice.

― LeCoq (LeCoq), Friday, 24 February 2006 21:42 (nineteen years ago)

Standing in the middle of an ice rink with your favorite song playing while Sasha arced across in her trademark leg-up position to slice your head smooooth off would be the most elegant way to die ever. People on death row who have had good behavior should be given this option, for humanity's sake. Can we put a little grace back into this world?

― LeCoq (LeCoq), Friday, 24 February 2006 21:49 (nineteen years ago)

LeCoq, I love you.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 24 February 2006 21:53 (nineteen years ago)

Oh oh oh and you know in action/horror movies when a people get decapitated superfast and their friend/whoever sees them just standing there thinking it's all good and THEN the head just *skates* off before the body drops? In THAT instant with the head still on, the inmate could whisper 'Thank you Sasha...grrglglrgl' and Sasha, by then on the other side of the rink, would wink and mouth the words, 'No probz, boo'.

― LeCoq (LeCoq), Friday, 24 February 2006 21:54 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2002/20021103/sp.jpg http://www.tribuneindia.com/2002/20021103/sp.jpg http://www.tribuneindia.com/2002/20021103/sp.jpg

http://www.cynicor.com/Hockey/Malarchuk.jpg

dude left - 'omg omg clint....breathe buddy, breathe...i'm so sorry...'
dude right - 'damn that bitch fine'

― LeCoq (LeCoq), Friday, 24 February 2006 22:18 (nineteen years ago)

I thought that old guy was kind of a jerk. It was all "this is a very sad way to end a performance and possible a career. Her jumps were uninspired." WTF does an "uninspired" jump look like?

I did crack up when he went on a jag about how hot one of the skaters was, too bad she couldn't really skate. The other commentators just let it hang there for a while, no reaction.

― Hunter (Hunter), Friday, 24 February 2006 23:44 (nineteen years ago)

his name is dick button. he sho is a dick, but apparently has also won an emmy for his analysis. i could laugh at the things that came out of his mouth, but that sandra woman was just a straight up bitch. i think the best part was scott hamilton drooling over that georgian girl.

― tehresa (tehresa), Saturday, 25 February 2006 00:32 (nineteen years ago)

I just realized how brilliant that hockey picture is - "let's work it out together"!! amazing. and lecoq's joke, of course.

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Saturday, 25 February 2006 00:35 (nineteen years ago)

is that arterial spray?

― sgs (sgs), Saturday, 25 February 2006 00:37 (nineteen years ago)

Yes. Clint Malarchuck got his throat slit by a skate blade in a goalmouth scramble. Buffalo trainer basically saved his life.

― Jimmy Mod: The Prettiest Flower In The Pond (The Famous Jimmy Mod), Saturday, 25 February 2006 00:39 (nineteen years ago)

Dick Button's always been like that. But hey, win two consecutive gold medals in figure skating (like he did) and perhaps you can afford to nitpick, yes?

In celebration.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 25 February 2006 00:40 (nineteen years ago)

Been loving the Hockey tournament - hoping for a Finland win in the final.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Saturday, 25 February 2006 00:40 (nineteen years ago)

Maybe I'm not remembering correctly, but wasn't Tara Lipinsky's winning performance in '98 pretty much flawless? Arakawa was great, but did double a couple of intended triples, I guess.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Saturday, 25 February 2006 02:28 (nineteen years ago)

It's important to relax just prior to a competition, he says, and "if that takes getting laid, it takes getting laid."

ah, button, you are a treat!

― tehresa (tehresa), Saturday, 25 February 2006 04:55 (nineteen years ago)

AHAH! FA FA FA FINLAND _ MAKE ME HAPPY??

http://money.cnn.com/2006/02/24/commentary/column_sportsbiz/sportsbiz/index.htm

THEY ARE LOSERS!?!

― Mr Jones (Mr Jones), Saturday, 25 February 2006 10:01 (nineteen years ago)

[Bode Miller] turned out to be the one thing his many sponsors never worried about but should have -- a boring loser.

Harsh but :)

― Markelby (Mark C), Saturday, 25 February 2006 12:59 (nineteen years ago)

CINDY FUCKING KLASSEN -- ONE MORE FOR THE ROAD

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Saturday, 25 February 2006 17:50 (nineteen years ago)

i'm going to post more fantastic pictures of slutskaya

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Saturday, 25 February 2006 20:54 (nineteen years ago)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v134/tracerhand/slutskaya4.jpg

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Saturday, 25 February 2006 20:55 (nineteen years ago)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v134/tracerhand/slutskaya2.jpg

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Saturday, 25 February 2006 20:57 (nineteen years ago)

They don't make 'em like Nadia Comaneci anymore...

― Jimmy Mod: The Prettiest Flower In The Pond (The Famous Jimmy Mod), Saturday, 25 February 2006 20:58 (nineteen years ago)

Oh, she was Romanian. Nevermind. You get where I'm going.

― Jimmy Mod: The Prettiest Flower In The Pond (The Famous Jimmy Mod), Saturday, 25 February 2006 20:59 (nineteen years ago)

slutskaya offers her opinion on american-style capitalism:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v134/tracerhand/slutskaya5.jpg

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Saturday, 25 February 2006 21:01 (nineteen years ago)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v134/tracerhand/slutskaya6.jpg

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Saturday, 25 February 2006 21:02 (nineteen years ago)

i have just done an analysis on slutskaya's rings thru the ages and have come to the conclusion that she is now married :(

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Saturday, 25 February 2006 21:08 (nineteen years ago)

whore

― Jimmy Mod: The Prettiest Flower In The Pond (The Famous Jimmy Mod), Saturday, 25 February 2006 21:08 (nineteen years ago)

i won't stand for you besmirching my little slutya that way!!

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Saturday, 25 February 2006 21:14 (nineteen years ago)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v134/tracerhand/7877993.jpg

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Saturday, 25 February 2006 21:23 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, that's pretty hot.

― Jimmy Mod: The Prettiest Flower In The Pond (The Famous Jimmy Mod), Saturday, 25 February 2006 21:33 (nineteen years ago)

ihttp://www.irina-slutskaya.com/ira-torino.png

― Collardio Gelatinous (collardio), Sunday, 26 February 2006 03:14 (nineteen years ago)

she needs some bandaids for those ROCK HARD NIPPLES.

― phil-two (phil-two), Sunday, 26 February 2006 03:44 (nineteen years ago)

Those frost-toughened nipples would tear any bandaid to shreds, dude.

― Collardio Gelatinous (collardio), Sunday, 26 February 2006 04:26 (nineteen years ago)

Bode bows out.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 26 February 2006 06:55 (nineteen years ago)

Ahh littel Slutsyka - what a precious gem How we adore her girl-woman charms! How saddened we will be if it turns out she made a home made porn like Paris HIlton!

― Mr Jones (Mr Jones), Sunday, 26 February 2006 10:15 (nineteen years ago)

As for Bode the Butt - send him to Iraq. Let him ski his way along the sand dunes and drink liquor from camels humps! He will find his punishment there amongst the whores of the bloody swamps!

― Mr Jones (Mr Jones), Sunday, 26 February 2006 10:17 (nineteen years ago)

Fuck Bode. You wanna know who won that slalom race? AN AUSTRIAN, MOTHERFUCKERS!!! Who came in second? AN AUSTRIAN, MOTHERFUCKERS!!! Who came in third? A MOTHERFUCKING AUSTRIAN, MOTHERFUCKERS!!!!!

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Sunday, 26 February 2006 11:34 (nineteen years ago)

Nittymaki in being human shockah as he lets a soft goal in.

1-1 after 5mins of the 2nd period.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Sunday, 26 February 2006 13:59 (nineteen years ago)

bah Sweden have been playing slightly better and are 2-1 on the Power play :-(

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Sunday, 26 February 2006 14:14 (nineteen years ago)

haha finland score right back - this is great. 2-2.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Sunday, 26 February 2006 14:15 (nineteen years ago)

fuck finland!

go sweden!

― Lovelace (Lovelace), Sunday, 26 February 2006 14:17 (nineteen years ago)

The game swung just a tiny bit for Finland after that 2nd goal but they didn't take adv - can't wait for the 3rd.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Sunday, 26 February 2006 14:25 (nineteen years ago)

holy shit!! WE WON!!!

this is like the biggest thing ever! winning the olympic final against our greatest rivals...I wish I was back home right now though. I want to hug someone but I'm all alone. argh!!

― Lovelace (Lovelace), Sunday, 26 February 2006 15:21 (nineteen years ago)

Great hockey final. The short-track 5000 meter relay was some exciting stuff too. So many laps!

I am so going to miss the Olympics once they're over. I'll have to go back to watching stupid-ass property shows during the dull hours of daytime.

― sgs (sgs), Sunday, 26 February 2006 17:15 (nineteen years ago)

i love how that relay turned into 2 different races. it was great to watch!

― tehresa (tehresa), Sunday, 26 February 2006 17:23 (nineteen years ago)

The bode backlash comes from old ppl who get pissed when he says he doesn't care about what others think wrt his results, and those same old ppl proceed to get REALLY pissed when he really DOESN'T care what they think.

X-GAMEZ 4 EVERR.

― Jimmy Mod: The Prettiest Flower In The Pond (The Famous Jimmy Mod), Sunday, 26 February 2006 17:27 (nineteen years ago)

I see where you're coming from, Jimmy, and yet I'd tend to think the US Ski Team was interested in having people who might like to win.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 26 February 2006 17:32 (nineteen years ago)

Pick yr poison is the lesson heer.

― Jimmy Mod: The Prettiest Flower In The Pond (The Famous Jimmy Mod), Sunday, 26 February 2006 17:33 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.planetdeville.com/poison%208.jpg

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 26 February 2006 17:35 (nineteen years ago)

Big ups.

― Jimmy Mod: The Prettiest Flower In The Pond (The Famous Jimmy Mod), Sunday, 26 February 2006 17:35 (nineteen years ago)

I mean, the 'spirit of the olympics' thing is what gets to me -- let's call a duck a duck and let these kids get all the money they can every 4 years because god knows they toil in obscurity the rest of the time. If they want to goof off and eat candy on Master Card's dollar I totally suppourt them.

― Jimmy Mod: The Prettiest Flower In The Pond (The Famous Jimmy Mod), Sunday, 26 February 2006 17:37 (nineteen years ago)

Mm, candy.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 26 February 2006 17:39 (nineteen years ago)

― Lovelace (Lovelace), Sunday, 26 February 2006 17:47 (nineteen years ago)

So that's what the Aphex Twin does these days.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 26 February 2006 17:47 (nineteen years ago)

We're not dealing with a generation gap/working for the man/control issue. Being a top athlete means trying to do your best all the time and hopefully win. There is no other reason for competing. If people honestly shouldn't care about results, then let me compete for the US National ski team.

I'm sure Bode Miller wasn't spinning the "I don't care if I win" angle when he and his agents were working out his endorsement deals. Fuck this clown, let's check out a real five-time medallist instead of this five-time pretender.

http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/topstory/sports/klassen_cindy060226.jpg http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/topstory/sports/klassen_cindy060226.jpg http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/topstory/sports/klassen_cindy060226.jpg http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/topstory/sports/klassen_cindy060226.jpg http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/topstory/sports/klassen_cindy060226.jpg

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Sunday, 26 February 2006 17:53 (nineteen years ago)

xpost haha I never thought about that! but now when I do it's scary how much alike they look.

Forsberg - when he's at his best there is no hockey player who's as great. That includes Lemiuex and Gretzky, fuckers!

― Lovelace (Lovelace), Sunday, 26 February 2006 17:56 (nineteen years ago)

Speaking of them Canadian peoples -- tonight's ceremony:

The Torino Games' closing ceremony promises to be a mix of celebration and formality with more than a dash of Canadiana.

Sunday's finale is expected to feature a fusion of world-class acrobatics, dancing and comedic theatre, with allusions to the Renaissance, royalty and the battle between good and evil.

Amid the fire, sparklers, ropes, confetti and laser lights, the show will promote the next Winter Games.

Canadian pop star Avril Lavigne will headline an eight-minute Canadian segment designed to promote the 2010 Vancouver Games.

Canadian-born opera star Ben Heppner will open the segment by singing the national anthem flanked by members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

The segment will also include a Vancouver-based dance corps and an acrobatic performance from members of a circus school in Montreal.

The Olympic flag will be transferred from Turin Mayor Sergio Chiamparino to International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge, who will present the flag to Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan.

Sullivan is a quadriplegic so he'll receive the flag in a special stainless steel holster that fits on his motorized wheelchair.

A ceremony to honour Canada's First Nations will follow the flag transfer.

Some 32,000 spectators will attend the ceremony and millions of people worldwide will watch on television.

"This segment is about inviting the world to Canada," said John Furlong, the chief executive officer of Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee (VANOC).

"It's about making the world feel that they'll be welcome in Vancouver and in Canada, that we can't wait for people to come to our region and it's to give them a little bit of a glimpse of who we are."

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 26 February 2006 17:56 (nineteen years ago)

Bode uber alles. Fuck the haters.

Plus: anyone that knows anything about skiing knows that dude is unbefuckinglievable. Certainly one of the best skiers in the world. Bear in mind that the Olympics are NOT the be all and end all of alpine racing. He WON the World Cup last winter, and is in third place this season.

― gbx (skowly), Sunday, 26 February 2006 18:07 (nineteen years ago)

He ain't fit to lick Beni Raich's boots.

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Sunday, 26 February 2006 18:10 (nineteen years ago)

He WON the World Cup last winter, and is in third place this season.

This is why he's racing in the Olympics and we're not. He's been claiming that he doesn't care if he wins or lose for years (whether he's been winning or losing) but didn't seem to mind all the endorsements, hype, and smack talk leading up to the Olympics. If you want to play down your success then fine but once you decide to play along and reap the benefits of the million dollar Nike deals and 60 Minutes interviews, be prepared to get disembowelled when you don't win shit and come across like an indifferent douche afterward.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Sunday, 26 February 2006 18:23 (nineteen years ago)

who would turn down a million dollar endorsement deal??

― phil-two (phil-two), Sunday, 26 February 2006 18:24 (nineteen years ago)

Who wants to sympathize with a guy who a) accepts a million dollar endorsement deal, b) claims he doesn't care about winning, c) doesn't win?

The endorsement is basically a salary that athletes earn for performing well, so when they don't do that, it's kinda like getting paid for doing nothing. Receiving a huge-ass salary for doing nothing and basically being proud of it is even worse.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Sunday, 26 February 2006 18:32 (nineteen years ago)

yeah, I'm a bit sad to see the Olympics end too. But now I'm finally excited about Vancouver 2010! (got mired in its politics, but whatever.) Speed skating is my new favourite winter olympics sport.
xpost

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Sunday, 26 February 2006 18:36 (nineteen years ago)

i don't see endorsements as being like salaries at all. they're more like bets, i think.. so blame nike for wagering $1m on someone who didn't win.

― phil-two (phil-two), Sunday, 26 February 2006 18:42 (nineteen years ago)

so he had a couple bad races in a row, oh well. im really only defending him though, because he is just so damn cute.

― phil-two (phil-two), Sunday, 26 February 2006 18:47 (nineteen years ago)

Poor Finland but great final...

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Sunday, 26 February 2006 18:48 (nineteen years ago)

okay, I haven't exactly been paying any attention to Avril lately, but I can't believe I did't know she'd glammed up - I didn't even recognize her at first. Pretty.
http://www.vancouver2010.com/resources/video/avril_lavigne_en_qt_large.mov

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Sunday, 26 February 2006 19:03 (nineteen years ago)

Pretty, yes. Totally stupid, too.

I would also like to lend my support to both Irina and her jacket.

― gbx (skowly), Sunday, 26 February 2006 19:18 (nineteen years ago)

I'd hit it.

― Jimmy Mod: The Prettiest Flower In The Pond (The Famous Jimmy Mod), Sunday, 26 February 2006 20:08 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.aquidauananews.com/admin/images_news/739671880.jpg

― Jimmy Mod: The Prettiest Flower In The Pond (The Famous Jimmy Mod), Sunday, 26 February 2006 20:17 (nineteen years ago)

Happy Swedes.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 26 February 2006 23:36 (nineteen years ago)

The (men's) hockey final was one of the best games I've seen in quite a while. I still haven't forgiven Forsberg for beating Canada in the shootout in '94, so I was hoping for a Finland win, but both teams should be proud of the display that they put on. Conversely, Canada and the U.S should be all the more ashamed.

― J-rock (Julien Sandiford), Monday, 27 February 2006 00:28 (nineteen years ago)

Bode Miller is the reductio ad absurdum of the 'it's only a game' attitude.

― Collardio Gelatinous (collardio), Monday, 27 February 2006 01:34 (nineteen years ago)

J-rock: Salo making that insane save and Forsberg scoring that unimaginable goal is probably my favorite sport moment of all time. I was only 10 but I remember everything about that game. Kariya was on fire during that tournament!

― Lovelace (Lovelace), Monday, 27 February 2006 02:31 (nineteen years ago)

The '94 final was a really good game, but I wished the outcome had been different. I had hockey practice early that morning and our coach let us go early so we wouldn't miss any of it. Paul Kariya is a fantastic player who wasted far too many years languishing in Anaheim, and he was a joy to watch that year. My favourite hockey moments are probably Canada Cup '87, the gold medal game in Salt Lake 2002, and Dougie Gilmour scoring against St.Louis in the 2nd round of the '93 playoffs. That was the last time that everyone in Toronto really believed that they were going to bring the Cup back.

― J-rock (Julien Sandiford), Monday, 27 February 2006 02:47 (nineteen years ago)

Bode's "it's only a game" thing is nonsense -- he flat-out CHOKES. He was kicking ass at the beginning of the World Cup season, and, at least in Austria, every competent commentator and active Austrian skier willing to comment on his apparant dominance said the same thing: just wait a bit, he'll start fucking up. And he's been getting worse since his brother fucked himself up in the last off-season.

Benni Raich and Hermann Mayer are both known for the slightly scary, "go for it and throw yourself down the mountain" style of skiing that Miller says he's doing, and both crash or fail to finish a fair bit -- but neither of them display Miller's sort of arrogant teenage retarded technique, so both tend to finish a little more often.

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Monday, 27 February 2006 07:56 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.hoth2014.com/

― kingfish has gene rayburn's mic (kingfish 2.0), Tuesday, 28 February 2006 07:21 (nineteen years ago)

I found Slutskaya's jacket, but it doesn't seem to be available in black. Maybe she had hers made special? Unfortunately for those of us not in Russia, it seems to be available only if you go to one of their shops yourself. Anyway, here are the pages with the relevant choices:

male version:

http://www.boscosport.ru/off-line/turin2006/male/rucil/model-901.gif http://www.boscosport.ru/off-line/turin2006/male/rucil/model-903.gif http://www.boscosport.ru/off-line/turin2006/male/rucil/model-904.gif
http://www.boscosport.ru/turin2006/male/rucil/

incredibly similar female version:

http://www.boscosport.ru/off-line/turin2006/female/raster/model-901.gif http://www.boscosport.ru/off-line/turin2006/female/raster/model-903.gif http://www.boscosport.ru/off-line/turin2006/female/raster/model-904.gif
http://www.boscosport.ru/turin2006/female/raster/

and here is the list of stores.

???
??????, ??????? ???????, ?. 3
???????: 929-30-85 (??????? ?????), 929-30-81 (??????? ?????)
????????? ? 10:00 ?? 22:00

?????????? ??????
??????, ???????? ??., ?. 10
???????: 921-29-37
????????? ? 10:00 ?? 21:00

??????? «???????»
??????, ???????? ??., ?. 4
???????: 692-99-29
????????? ? 10:00 ?? 22:00

??????? «??????? ??????»
??????, ?????????? ???., ?. 10, 3-? ????
???????: 246-60-85
????????? ? 10:00 ?? 21:00

??????? «?????»
??????, ????? ????? ??., ?. 19, 2-? ????
???????: 202-22-79
????????? ? 10:00 ?? 22:00

?????????? ??????
??????, ?????????? ??., ?. 3
???????: 937-80-24
????????? ? 10:00 ?? 22:00

???????? BOSCOSPORT ? ??????:
Via Roma 259
39 Corso Regio Parco Torino Italy
???????: (39) 0112617606

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Monday, 6 March 2006 23:36 (nineteen years ago)

woops

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Monday, 6 March 2006 23:39 (nineteen years ago)

and actually, looking closer, hers is a hoodie of some kind, which appears not to be on that site at all, even if you could make it to moscow with euros/rubles in hand :(

some of the other jackets are real nice, nonetheless

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Monday, 6 March 2006 23:45 (nineteen years ago)

Tracer, you're going to see her when she tours with the other olympics folks, aren't you.

― kingfish da notorious teletabby (kingfish 2.0), Monday, 6 March 2006 23:46 (nineteen years ago)

of course i am.*

*SHE IS TOURING??????

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Monday, 6 March 2006 23:56 (nineteen years ago)

aha I found it! They are going all the fuck over America, aren't they? Beaumont, Texas??

Nassau Coliseum on March 23 and two performances at the Meadowlands on March 29.

http://www.championsonice.com

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Tuesday, 7 March 2006 00:04 (nineteen years ago)

http://slutskaya.by.ru/foto/original/3.jpg

"champion so nice"

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Tuesday, 7 March 2006 00:18 (nineteen years ago)

So who's coming with me to Nassau Coliseum???

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Tuesday, 7 March 2006 23:07 (nineteen years ago)

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